Heart Whispers
by Strange Familiarity
Summary: [Book One in the Lorule Origins Trilogy] He was just a merchant, descended from merchants, tradesmen and the occasional Royal Guard. Or so he thought. A chance discovery turns Ravio's world upside down and rewrites the fate of the entire kingdom of Lorule. History isn't always all that it seems… Magic is music; music is magic; and magic runs riot through the blood of the people.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first Zelda fan-fiction. I'll state that plainly enough. But this isn't some half-baked concept. This is a fully fledged tale, the first of the series. Welcome to the beginning of the** ** _'Lorule Origins'_** **series. I've been calling it a trilogy, so it's staying that way. For now, anyway - until I get more ideas for my Lorule.**

 **The Lorule of** ** _'Lorule Origins'_** **is the same Lorule of** ** _'A Link Between Worlds'_** **. Same map, same locations. You'll still find a cave in the furthest reaches Skull Woods, still find secrets buried beneath Thieves' Town. You still find the Captain drinking in the bar, too. The castle has been rebuilt - as for what it now contains, I'm not going to give too much away. Princess Hilda is still the sole ruler of the kingdom of Lorule. Ravio is still a semi-disorganised, caring individual with a love for Rupees.**

 **Link still sleeps in. Zelda stills guides her people through the life of a Hyrulean. The Sages still have roles to play - no post-ALBW fanfic would be complete without them. The Hyrule of** ** _'A Link Between Worlds'_** **is the same Hyrule of** ** _'Lorule Origins'_** **. There are Octoroks, Guays and Chuchus. There are villains like Yuga, as well.** **His** **story isn't over yet, either.  
**

 **Lorule has just as rich a history as it's counterpart kingdom - if not more so. _'A Link Between Worlds'_ was just the beginning.  
**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Legend of Zelda or any relating characters from any game in the series, Nintendo does. I only own the historical figures of Lorule's history.**

 **\- Strange Familiarity.**

* * *

The merchant closed his eyes, feeling a shiver run up his spine as he placed the bag of Rupees down on the table next to him. It landed with a heavy _clink!_ and he slowly pulled the drawstrings open. He knew there had to be over a thousand Rupees' worth in the sack. Reaching inside, his fingers closed around a worn leather-bound book and he pulled it out. The cover was stained, and a little battered, but it was in good condition.

He'd thought long and hard about his adventure in the land of Hyrule, and the chance he'd had to see a real hero in action. Link was really something – he never gave up, even in the toughest of times. He had all these Rupees as a result of the Hero's rescue mission; but saying he'd retired had been a little premature of him. He hadn't, he realised now. Retirement wasn't for the likes of him… and Link.

He mightn't have been Link, but he still could play a part in the restoration of his beloved land. Muffling a sigh, Ravio unrolled a fresh roll of parchment, placing his journal down the floor next the stool he normally sat on. He grabbed a quill, and started. Those Rupees weren't going to count themselves, he reasoned.

It was well and truly after midday when he felt his bird land on his shoulder. Yawning, Ravio turned his head to greet him, ruffling Sheerow's head feathers.

"What is it, buddy?" His bird chirped, paused, and then whistled happily, mimicking a tune his owner often hummed – and recognised instantly. The Princess liked the melody because of its bouncy rhythm and the way it was sung. In fact, she'd often requested him to accompany her as she went about her duties over the last past few weeks, saying something about how the kingdom needed his optimism. But he couldn't – it wasn't right.

 _Tomorrow… the sun is gonna glow. Maybe by tomorrow…_ The merchant had hardly finished his train of thought, before he was off, heading to the castle. Tomorrow was far too long for the Princess.

He was soon kneeling before the ruler of the land, Crown Princess Hilda Lorule. Ravio kept his eyes fixed on the plush red carpet as the royal rose to her feet, only looking up when she spoke,

"Ravio, I'm sorry. I've been a fool. I've done things I should never have done. And I've said things I never meant to say. I apologise for the wrongs I wrought, and I hope you can forgive me."

Olive eyes softened, and he rose also, holding a hand out to her in supplication. "Princess, there is nothing to forgive. I am sure Princess Zelda would have done the same in your place. You did what you had to do – desperate times call for desperate measures. It turned out in the end."

Her mouth twisted into a rueful grimace. "Princess Zelda would have known better."

"You are not her, Your Grace. Just as I am not Link. I could never do what he did."

"If you're referring to being the saviour of a kingdom, think again."

"Pardon?" he spluttered. He had most certainly not expected her to say that, of all things.

"Link confessed that he would have never able to sacrifice the fate of his kingdom in order to save another. In fact, he said that he would have fought it through to the end … like I did. He also said that courage has many forms and that you were just as courageous as he."

"That's ridiculous!" Ravio snorted.

"Quite the opposite. If not for you, Lorule would have faced a far worse fate than it did. We were on the brink, Ravio. I could not let that happen."

He studied the fierce determination in those crimson eyes of hers, observing how her purple hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, and smiled. "Of course not, Princess. I would never have thought you would."

She hesitantly returned his smile. "Thank you, Ravio. If I may ask this of you, I'd … like you to assist me in getting the kingdom back to the way it was. If you accept, it would mean you would be accompanying me as I go about repairing the kingdom – starting with its people. A kingdom is naught without them."

His heart jumped in his chest and his grin grew as he bowed to her. "It would be an honour, Princess, to work with you in the restoration of Lorule. I ask for nothing more than this, I swear."

She inclined her head, her smile growing to match his. "I could never ask for a more loyal companion than you on this road ahead. My thanks, Ravio. My thanks."

He bowed again, before backing out of the Throne Room. As the doors closed behind him, he silently vowed that he would see all remnants of Yuga's betrayal wiped from the Princess' memory. Even if he had to do it himself. His time with the Hero of Hyrule had taught him that sometimes things got done because there was nobody else to do them. It was time he became one of those people – he was Link's counterpart and he was determined that he would earn that title twice over. Even if it meant he had to learn things he swore he never would again.

Things of the past.

Boots ringing on the cobbles of the white bridge, Ravio exited the grounds of Lorule Castle. His eyes held a steely fire not unlike that of his Princess', and his heart pounded a rhythm of one who was willing to run a thousand miles to see his task complete. And he would. He knew he would. If that was what it took, he would.

* * *

 **That's Chapter One done. Please note that I will be updating this as much as I possibly can, when I can. I've had this sitting on my computer for a while now, and I think I was well into Part Two before I decided to rewrite most of it. The characters undergo some serious development, particularly Ravio. I mean, whoa. He's really stepped up as Link's Lorulean counterpart, I can tell you that much.**

 **Please, read and review. Follow or favourite, if you wish. Support means the world: if people like the tale, it's the best kind of encouragement.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I must thank drazol for the kind review, also YueHamachi and OperationPerson for the follow. It's all very helpful!**

 **Anyway, onto Chapter Two. Tempers flare as preparations begin for the restoration of the kingdom, and Hilda discovers a darker, bitter side to Ravio that she previously was unaware of. And it scares her. Really, really scares her.  
**

* * *

It didn't take for Princess Hilda to get her operation up and running. Two days later, the royal was walking side by side with Ravio, listening as he explained to her the beauty of Hyrule. They were on their way to inspect Thieves' Town, and to assess the damage the quakes had done. The merchant was reluctant to take charge of a situation, but something had to be done, as he'd informed the princess. He was carrying a familiar sack marked with a green Rupee on the front, but Hilda's fine ears couldn't detect any money clinking together as he walked. In fact, any sound was muffled by some kind of fabric inside the bag.

"… And the only guard who escaped was the one who patrolled Kakariko Village." he was saying. Turning his head, he sighed. "Princess? Princess, did you even hear a word I said?"

Hilda started guiltily as she realised she'd been gazing blankly at her companion. Colour filled her cheeks as she shook her head. "Apologies. I was thinking, and I guess I tuned out."

He raised an eyebrow, and she felt herself darken further under his gaze. "You guess? It must have been a really interesting thought, then. You were staring."

She felt her eyes slide away from his, and she absently coiled a strand of hair around a gloved finger. "Once again, you have my apologies, Ravio. I was wondering what our counterparts are doing now – does Link still bear the Master Sword, do you think?" she queried.

He snorted. "Of course he does. Mr. Hero would have found any liable excuse under the sun to keep the Blade of Evil's Bane."

"And what of Princess Zelda?" she prompted.

"I can't say anything of the Princess of Hyrule. I'm not sure I'm entirely qualified to, in all honesty."

"Preposterous. You are more than qualified. But if that's the way you want it, I'm not going to argue with you."

Ravio shrugged. "However, from what the Hero of Hyrule said of the Princess, and from the gifted return of our Triforce, I can only imagine that Princess Zelda is what she remains to be: a kind and compassionate ruler."

She couldn't hide her frown. "I wish I was more like her," she murmured wistfully.

He stopped walking then, a fierce look in his eyes. Hilda halted upon seeing his expression and she saw that he was gritting his teeth as he took hold of her right hand. "Your Grace, do not wish to be anyone but who you are. You are ruler of this kingdom, and even though times are hard, the people remain content in the knowledge that their princess will fight for them. Empathy may not be your strong suit, or clairvoyance for that matter, but you are emboldened, determined and passionate about the well-being and safety of your people. Don't you ever, ever, wish to be more like someone else than you already are."

Unshed tears glimmered in her eyes. "And you say you aren't Hero material. A hero has courage enough to stand up for what they believe to be right – you just did. You were heroic enough to prevent me from destroying Hyrule along with Lorule, heroic enough to show me there's always another way."

This close to him, she could see the varying shades of green that made up his irises: dark green, olive, yellow green, emerald, lime. They fascinated her, she realised. But as she studied him, he released her from his grip and stepped away, all emotion wiped from his face and leaving his eyes shadowed.

"That was different." he replied hollowly. Hilda watched as he readjusted his grip on the sack he was carrying and strode on down the path, not waiting for her to catch up. Bewildered, the Princess hurried after him, thoughts awhirl. He normally wasn't like this, she knew. Was it something she said?

The journey continued on in silence. They were just passing the blacksmith's when the door flew open with a bang. Ravio scowled and picked up the pace, head down, shoulders tense.

"Merchant boy!" A voice bellowed. "I wanted to talk to about those weapons you borrowed."

Her companion stopped dead in his tracks, eyes narrowing in rage. "I have a name, master smith, and it's not 'boy'." he spat, allowing the sack to slip through his fingers. Hilda swallowed as he turned towards the owner of the voice, the blacksmith himself. This was so unlike Ravio that she was actually … scared of him. And she didn't like the feeling.

"My apologies, Ravio, son. I must say you're looking and sounding more and more like your father every time I see you. Now about those weapons-" He got no further as an animalistic snarl of fury cut through the air, silencing him.

Princess Hilda had never seen Ravio so _angry_. The merchant's eyes were narrowed to the size of slits, and his hands were curled into fists so much that his knuckles were white. When he spoke, his voice was a barely audible hiss, "You dare to bring my father up in such a worthless conversation?!"

The blacksmith gulped, and held his hands out in surrender. "I-it was just in passing, I swear."

Ravio stormed up the stairs so fast that Hilda hardly had time to blink. "You talk in ignorance, old man. You speak as if you knew him, when you didn't." He jabbed a finger into the older man's chest, and the blacksmith flinched. "You don't understand what it was like, having your world crumble to ashes around you. And you never will."

"I won't, that much is true. I never truly meant bring your father into the conversation. All I wanted to know was what you did with those weapons I forged."

"You didn't forge them, _master smith_." His voice dripped acid, and Hilda found herself taking an immediate step backwards. "You put so much stock in weapon-craft and not using 'any old thing that could be found lying on a road' when you did exactly that. Those weapons could never been forged by the likes of you – they are works of a true craft master. Which you aren't."

"All I want to know is what you did with them!" the older Lorulean protested.

Ravio scowled. "I sold them. They are no longer in my possession."

"Can't you get them back?"

"I'm not certain – and even if I could, I would never ask such a thing."

"What about the profit? Those weapons belonged to me, so the profit should, too!"

The merchant ground his teeth in frustration. "Those weapons never belonged to you; they belonged to the people, and to the land. And so the profit belongs to the people of the land. Rightly so, too."

The blacksmith gaped at him, shaking in anger. Ravio, for his part, didn't react, looking remarkably disinterested about the whole affair, and then he played his final card, his ace. Hilda had to marvel at his cunning … and his thoughtfulness.

"Those Rupees now sit in the castle treasury, all ten thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine of them. So it's up to Princess Hilda what happens now, not me."

"You little thief!" the blacksmith exclaimed. "You'll pay for this!"

"I don't think so." Hilda's voice rang out, startling them all. She strode forward, brow knit together in a frown of disapproval. "I won't have a lousy smith like you making a hero pay for anything."

The blacksmith was speechless. So, for a matter of fact, was Ravio. She could see it in his eyes – he looked so startled that it was adorable. The princess silently giggled to herself as she continued to speak,

"Ravio, come. We have work waiting for us in Thieves' Town. We bid you good day, Master Smith, and good business."

"Yes, Your Grace, of course." He took the steps two at a time, and she detected a subtle spring to his step as he picked up what he'd left and ever-so-slowly winked. She merely grinned in response as they left the blacksmith behind at his door. They still had to avoid flying rocks yet – the Octoball players never let up.

* * *

 **What is Ravio hiding, I wonder? And what does his father have to with any of this? It must be pretty big to get a reaction like that! Secrets, secrets... so much fun! And if Hilda thinks Ravio's adorable now, it's going to get even better ... *smiles wickedly***

 **Until next time!  
**

 **\- Familiar.**


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm not even three chapters in, and I already have so many people to thank! Thanks to: aminish for the follow and the favourite; and MoonlightPrancing for the follow. And a very, very special thanks goes to Chameleon Eyes for the follow, the favourite** **and** **the review!**

 **So, the chapter. I said last time that Hilda finds Ravio adorable? Yeah, that's right. I also said it gets better. It does. A little bit of realisation can't hurt. Unless you're the Princess of Lorule. ;) Then it's just ... awkward? And it appears Ravio has a hidden talent for leadership. *shrugs* I have a feeling that's going to be handy later on...  
**

* * *

Thieves' Town was relatively quiet when they arrived. The only noises were the sounds of music – people humming tunes to themselves and joining in the melody that trickled from the local bar. Hilda took the opportunity to ask her companion a question.

"Ravio?"

"Yes, Princess?"

He was clearly distracted, and for some unknown reason, this bothered her almost as much as his anger had. His eyes constantly roamed the village, noticing everything. Every little detail stood out to her as well, and she breathed a sigh of sorrow. So much suffering and pain. So much to do.

And still, she hesitated. It was wrong of her to ask, but such a matter felt oddly personal. "What happened to your father that caused you to react like that?"

He glanced her way, and to her dismay, she noticed that the shadows obscuring his eyes were thicker than before. "I don't want to talk about it," he answered shortly.

She made no motion to stop him as he strode further into the village, boots making plumes of dust rise from the path. Hilda watched as he stopped on the clear patch of dead grass at the far end of the village, and raised two fingers to his lips in a piercing whistle. It echoed in the sudden silence, causing the birds in Skull Woods to rise, shrieking, into the air. Doors flew open as the inhabitants of Thieves' Town filed out of their homes, roused by the commotion.

Princess Hilda held her head high as she followed the path Ravio had taken, ignoring the startled whispers. Confusion rolled off the people and rightly so – no royal had visited the town for more than thirty years, due to the crime rate. But as ruler of Lorule, she had a duty to perform. And that duty meant unwavering loyalty to her people. No matter what their past may be, or what deeds they performed.

Ravio moved aside as she stepped onto the grass, bowing respectfully. She cleared her throat, casting her eyes over the small crowd. "Citizens of Lorule! It has been many years since a member of the royal family has visited the entirety of the kingdom, this much is true. To my knowledge, this is because of the fast decline of the land. However…" she paused, a faint smile gracing her face, before continuing, "This is no longer the case."

Shock rippled outwards and she saw the amazement written on the crowd's faces' – they had not been expecting this. Hilda could almost feel the hope that spread amongst them as she resumed speaking,

"I'm sure many of you remember the green-clad hero who walked our land a few weeks ago. Because of his actions, and the actions of one of our own," she gestured to Ravio, who stood with his head bowed, "our Triforce has been restored to us, and the land can begin to heal. This healing process will take a long time, however, and I cannot do it alone."

"Where do you suggest we begin?" A voice called. Hilda was surprised that the people had clued in so early – she had thought it would take more explanation. Apparently not.

Ravio opened his eyes, and to her delight, smiled. "If I may, Princess?" he queried, with a wave of his hand.

She inclined her head, repressing the urge to smile. "Go ahead."

"Thank you, Your Grace. May I ask who spoke?" he addressed the crowd, and the locals parted to allow a heavy-set man to walk to the front. He stood nervously beneath their combined gaze, and the Princess felt a pang of pity. She wasn't all that different from any of them, despite her status.

"I did." he admitted. "I haven't been the most honest of men, considering my past and all. I was a miner before your father's death, Your Highness, and I was proud of it. I turned to the thievery only amidst the confusion following. But after the defeat of the 'boss' thanks to the hero-kid, I guess I've taken to being village head-man."

Ravio nodded, frowning thoughtfully. "A miner, you say?"

"Yes. The cold ore found on the mountain can't be rivaled. If my skills can be put to use, I'd be grateful. All of us want to help, Hero."

Hilda chuckled as her companion pulled a face. He clearly didn't like being referred to as a hero. "I'm no hero – just a merchant. Nevertheless, I think I have a plan." He turned to face her, frowning still, though she suspected this was more of a worried one, and his next words confirmed it,

"You don't mind, do you, Princess Hilda? I wouldn't wish anyone to think I'm over-riding your authority like Yu- like _he_ did."

She shook her head. "Not at all, Ravio. Not at all."

He nodded in confirmation, clapping his hands. "Okay, people! We've planning to do. Where's the best place?"

The veteran thief, once again, answered, "Right where you're standing. It's a lot better than anywhere else in the village. I'm sure we can drag some tables and stools outta the bar."

"Right. You heard him, folks! Get a move on!"

At once, the people spread out, heading inside buildings to grab things they thought they might need. Hilda could only watch and marvel … Ravio was rather good at this. Seriously good. Who knew?

She watched as the veteran nodded thoughtfully to himself, before motioning to her companion to join him. Ravio shrugged, before stepping off the grass, tugging on one of the 'ears' of his hood. He didn't seem to be bothered with taking charge, now that she thought about it.

"I want to congratulate you, kid. It takes a certain kind of person to handle to people, and I must say, you're doing a fine job of it. You're a natural."

"I beg to differ, Veteran," he replied, folding his arms across his chest. "I just know there's a lot to be done, and that someone's got to do it. If that someone's me, well, there's not much I can do except accept the responsibility."

"Nonsense." A voice retorted, and it was only when the two turned to look in her direction did she realise she'd been the one to speak. "You're a fine leader, Ravio, and you can do a whole lot than just 'accept the responsibility.'"

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Princess, please…"

The veteran thief chuckled. "I do believe you just got put in your place, son. Now, do you need anything – parchment, ink or the like? A map, perhaps?"

He shook his head. "No need – I've got everything I need in my bag."

She felt her eyebrows rise, and she followed him to where he'd left his stuff, curious. He was already kneeling next to the bag, checking the contents when she stopped behind him. He half turned around, and sighed when he saw who it was.

"Yes?" he queried, brushing his fringe out of his eyes impatiently.

"Nothing," she replied hastily, aware of the growing smirk on her face. "Just wondering, that's all."

"About?"

"About what you're going to do next – the old thief was right. You are a natural leader, and much better at it than I am."

He scowled up at her, clearly not agreeing. "You were raised to be a leader, Princess."

"Raised, yes, but not born. There's a difference."

"Thank you for pointing that out, Highness," his voice was dry, and despite herself, she chuckled. "My definition of 'natural leader' clearly needs to be redefined, according to the world around me."

"Clearly. At least it's not your head that needs redefining. You're nothing shy of brilliant." Where had _that_ come from? She wasn't one to compliment people for no apparent reason.

He snorted, rising to his feet, one hand wrapped around the neck of the bag. "Good to see one of us thinks so, Princess. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have somewhere to be."

With that, he bowed, turned on his heel and walked away, leaving a confused princess behind. What was going on around here? Nothing made sense. Nothing.

Fifteen minutes later, she was leaning against the wall facing the patch of grass where the meeting was. Her eyes were half-closed, and she knew she was at risk of falling asleep. Ravio hadn't reappeared since she'd last spoken to him, and without him the planning couldn't go ahead. What was taking him so long? He didn't need fifteen minutes just to put a plan together!

Excited voices roused her, and she blinked slowly as she stuck her head around the corner. The Octoball players were racing along the path, followed by a herd – if that was the word – of little red Octoroks. She could hear Ravio in the background, but couldn't see… oh. Her eyes widened as he waved to her, grinning cheekily, and she swallowed a surprised squeak.

Even without having to take in the fact that her ears were burning, she knew what her face must look like as she ducked back around the corner. She skidded around the opposite one, and slipped inside the ruins of the building, trying to slow her rapid heartbeat. T-this couldn't be happening. This was Ravio – she couldn't have _feelings_ for him. Hilda muffled a groan of dismay as she slumped against the wall. He looked so different like that, so much like Link. Maybe – no. She knew she wasn't that foolish. Oh, no.

This was a nightmare. An absolute nightmare.

* * *

 **Oh, Hilda. It's not that bad. Honestly - you should have seen Link's face when he realised that he loved Zelda. He might as well have been told he was related to Ganon. Or worse yet, Osfala. Hehe.**

 **For those of you who are wondering, Link and Zelda make an appearance soon. It would seem the Goddesses aren't done meddling just yet...**

 **See you later!**

 **-Familiar.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Two more new followers to thank this chapter : Assaulted by the plot bunnies; and HyalianHeroLoZ. Thanks again!**

 **Chapter Four. Wow. This one's important, both character development wise and plot wise. And as to why Ravio's sick, well you're going to have to wait a few more chapters to find out.  
**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

He opened his eyes to find himself in a tangle of sheets, and with a pounding headache. Swallowing a curse, Ravio shook his head as he sat up, fighting off a wave of nausea. He knew it wasn't a hangover, because he didn't drink. He refused to defile his family's memory by acting like a drunken fool.

It still didn't explain the situation he found himself in, however. His skull felt like someone had tried to take a hammer to it. He groaned, attempted to swing his legs to over the edge of his bed, and quite promptly hit the ground. Pain shot through his system and he let out an involuntary hiss, clutching the floorboards as he waited for it to pass.

This was worse than being caught by Yuga when he'd been trying to sneak around the castle, and hurt more than anything the sly painter could scheme up. Way more, to the point where he wasn't sure what was worse. Memories of the traitorous sorcerer brought thoughts of the princess to the forefront of Ravio's mind, and he let out a laugh as he recalled yesterday's events.

He'd been in the middle of outlining his plan to rebuild the town when a rock hit him in the back of the head. Irritated, he'd spun around to find the Octoballers snickering to each other, and one faintly amused princess. He had his suspicions, of course, as to who the culprit was, but no proof to back it up as of yet. He'd just wait and watch, biding his time.

Sighing, he hauled himself back to his feet, swaying unsteadily as he did so. He managed to make it back to his bed before he collapsed. He didn't feel sick, exactly, just … strange. Right. There was no way he was going to make it to the castle today, or tomorrow – he'd pass out before he arrived. For Farore's sake, the castle wasn't that far, but considering he couldn't even make it out of his house, he knew it wasn't going to happen. What to do, what to do?

"Sheerow!" The little bird chirped curiously, flapping over to land on the back of his owner's hand, beady eyes bright and eager. "Do you think you can take a message to the princess for me?"

A single confirming whistle brought a smile to Ravio's face, and after a struggle, he made it over to his desk. Trying to ignore the pins and needles in his fingers, he picked up a quill, dipped it in the ink and began to write. It didn't take long, and soon he was passing his feathered friend a rolled up note. Sheerow took off, zipping through the curtains, and out the open window, leaving a tired Ravio behind.

He'd just finished tidying up, and was sitting back on his made bed (everything had been far too _slow_ for his liking) when Sheerow returned. His pet was whistling a familiar tune, and he swallowed a groan. That wasn't what he'd meant to happen. Despite himself, he could only grin as Princess Hilda inched her way inside his house, and shake his head.

"Y'know, when I told Sheerow to take a message up to the castle, I didn't expect you to come to see me, Your Grace, really. You didn't have to – I would have been fine on my own."

She wound a strand of hair round a gloved finger and chuckled. "Oh, Ravio. I felt like it. Besides, it gave me an excuse to get away from the mountain of paperwork I was struggling through."

He raised an eyebrow. "You mustn't like paperwork very much, then."

She grabbed the stool from his desk, and set it down opposite him, watching him with a concerned expression as she sat down. "No, I don't. Unfortunately, it's one of the most important parts of being ruler of a kingdom. But enough about me; how are you feeling?"

"I've been better," he admitted. "It still feels like someone tried crush my skull with a hammer, and I've noticed that my skin feels warmer than usual."

"'Warmer than usual'?" she repeated.

He nodded, and before he could protest, she had risen to her feet, mouth turned down in a grimace. He felt his eyes close as she placed a gloved palm on his forehead. It was an instinctive reaction, and funnily enough, a familiar one. Thing was, he couldn't ever recall her doing this before. Scratch that, he couldn't remember her doing it at all. And whether or not she was aware of it, her fingertips were brushing the side of his face. The sensation made him feel strangely at peace, which in itself perhaps was stranger still.

She removed her hand with a quiet exclamation, and he slowly opened his eyes. She'd fallen back a pace or two, mouth pursed in a 'o' of shock. "Ravio, are you sure you're feeling alright? Your skin's hot enough to roast a Cuccoo!"

He frowned in puzzlement – he really didn't feel all that different. "I'm fine," he assured her. "But on the subject of food, I'm absolutely starving, and roast Cuccoo sounds delicious!" He pushed himself upright, and would have continued if not for the massive scowl on her face.

"Sit back down! You're not going anywhere!" she snapped.

Startled, he fell back onto his bed, bumping his head on the wall in the process. Rubbing the spot, he sat up, groaning. That was going to bruise, he knew. Dammit. When he returned his gaze to that of the princess', she looked horrified. About what, he had no clue. But the vacancy to her expression made him freeze. If he had to honest, it made him feel sick to his stomach.

He swallowed. "Princess? Princess Hilda? A-are you alright?"

Her eyes snapped into focus, and she gasped. Her hands flew to cover her mouth, and she started rocking back and forth ever so slightly. She kept whispering the same phrase over and whisper, her words just snatches of breath, near inaudible. It sounded like "No."

"Princess!" He sounded so panicked, because Naryu help him, he was. He was ill with some condition of some sort, and his princess was lost to herself. This honestly could not be happening. He grabbed his head in his hands, raking his fingers through unkempt black hair in frustration. He had to think; he had to. There wasn't a choice, this wasn't an option.

And though he didn't know where it came from, a thought drifted into his mind, almost like someone calling to him from afar,

 _Sing._

"What?" he blurted; confused. What did singing have to do … with anything? No matter. He started humming, even though he knew it wasn't right. He knew he knew. He knew, he really did. He tried again, hearing the first notes fall into silence – no, not quite. He tried yet again, feeling the music stir memories he'd long since buried. Something clicked.

His voice rose and fell, racing, trembling, over the notes. He kept at it, right through the song, til he glanced up and saw the princess of Lorule staring at him in surprise, crimson eyes wide with shock, and sparkling with the glimmer of tears. "Ravio."

"Princess… thank the Goddesses. You're alright."

She frowned, rubbing her head. "What happened? I remember telling you to sit down and then – nothing. I-I can't remember."

"You don't remember saying 'No' over and over?"

"What?" She stared at him, looking rather like a startled deer. "I … am I sick? Because I remember my music teacher saying once that she'd read a tale of a musician who was cursed with a strange sickness by a painter. She joked that perhaps that it could happen to me if I wasn't careful. I don't know why, though."

A music teacher. He had to close his eyes, lest she see the tears gathering there. His mother. His mother had taught the Princess of Lorule. Once. A lifetime ago. "Your music teacher – was she forever telling stories? Interesting little stories that made you laugh? Did she teach you how to play the harp, flute and ocarina specifically?"

"Yes. How do you know?"

His mouth twisted. "Did she ever tell you the story of how her son set her rug on fire?"

She started giggling. "Yes! She said that it was-"

"-Her birthday present from her husband, and that she was standing there, staring, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. It was a beautiful, hundred Rupee rug, and her son had just set it on fire."

"I was about to say that!" she exclaimed.

He grinned. "I know you were. I was there – my poor mother. I was eight and a little arsonist. My parents didn't know where it'd come from!"

"Ohmygoodness! Ravio!"

As if it had been perfectly orchestrated; they burst into laughter. He had to admit that it felt good to be able to share a memory or two, especially if the person in question could understand. So what if she was the Princess? All the more reason to make an effort… she needed the healing as much as he did. Not that she knew.

* * *

 **Flipping heck. Ravio, a trouble-maker? Pfft, as if! ;) And Hilda's still reeling from Yuga's treachery? I suppose I should cut her some slack. It can't be easy ruling a kingdom with Yuga's 'ghost' in the back of your mind. Poor girl. And to think it gets worse...  
**

 **Anyway, Link and Zellie turn up next chapter, so I suggest you prepare yourself for a bumpy ride. Because nothing goes according to plan with Link around. Totally zilch. Of course, Link being Link, there's funny moments, too.  
**

 **(By the way? That song Ravio's humming? It'd really important, so keep an eye out for clues!)**

 **Until next time!**

 **EDIT!: Fixed the chapter and the author's note. One step more to go!**


	5. Chapter 5

**We-ell. My thanks goes to Leafon Princess for the follow - the view count just keeps stacking up, and so does the follower count! This is so very awesome for a first story! I thank everyone who's read this so far!**

 **To be honest, I'm not entirely happy with this chapter, or the last one, for that matter. I guess my brain was going so fast I couldn't get it down properly. *sigh* So if something seems off, it'll be because I'm reworking them. Apologies. This particular chapter is a bit dialogue heavy, but oh well.**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

It was a fine day when two Hyruleans landed on Lorulean soil. They were rather familiar; one bearing a sword and shield on his back and garbed in his trademark green tunic; the other wearing a delicate circlet on her head and the banner of the royal house of Hyrule. These two were, of course, none other than the Hero Link and Princess Zelda.

Link smiled as he took in the familiar surroundings, and Princess Zelda was silent as she noticed the castle in the distance. Indeed, it wasn't that far off, just a five minute walk from their current location. But that wasn't entirely why they were here – their first stop perched on a rise above them.

The Hero saw the look his princess was giving him, and sighed heavily. "Alright, alright. I'll go see if he's home. I can't guarantee anything."

Grumbling under his breath, Link climbed up to the entrance, wincing as pale grass and budding flowers were trampled beneath his boots. Oops. He paused, resting a hand flat on the door, before he knocked repeatedly on the wooden surface. Immediately, the occupant stirred, and he grinned quietly as he listened. Someone clearly wasn't too pleased about being interrupted. He could hear cursing and what sounded like threats of painful death being voiced – loudly, he might add.

He was met with a dark scowl as the door opened a crack, and Ravio peered through the gap. "What do you want? I swear, this is the millionth time! For Din's sake, I've been sick for three weeks! Buzz off- Oh. Hello, Mr. Hero. Apologies, I thought you were someone else. Please, do come in."

Link chuckled as his counterpart held the door ajar, allowing him to enter the building. "Ravio, what _have_ you been up to? You sound rather frustrated."

The other boy groaned, "Frustrated? Are you kidding me? I'm just about ready to clobber someone over the head with a hammer. It's ridiculous! I've been roped into helping Princess Hilda in restoring the kingdom, I fell sick with some mysterious illness, I went dungeon-crawling through Snowhead to retrieve a rare book she wanted; and not only did I get covered in monster blood, grime and half freeze to death, I also broke my ankle trying to crawl through the exit passage. And that isn't even half of it!" he complained.

He found himself grinning. "Sounds like fun," he remarked. "You've been busy, then."

Ravio glared at him. "Yes, I have. I was in the middle of digging through my basement, thank you very much!"

"You have a basement?"

"Yes, I do. I presume you'll be heading up to the castle?"

He sighed reluctantly. "Yeah. Zelda wouldn't shut up about it. Unfortunately for me."

"Well I suppose you'd better- wait. You call your princess by name?" His counterpart's eyebrows rose and it was Link's turn to groan.

"Don't call her 'my' princess. Irene and Gulley would be laughing their heads off if they knew. Osfala… don't even get me started on Osfala. And yes, I do. Got an issue with it?" he challenged.

"Link! Hurry up! We don't have all day!" Zelda called from outside.

Despite himself, he rolled his eyes and scoffed, "What do you mean, 'we'? As far I'm concerned, it's just you, Princess!"

Laughter, and then she spoke again, "Liar. Now, is Ravio coming with us or not?"

He answered "Yes," the exact same time his counterpart said "No." Link stared as Ravio shook his head, mouth set in a stubborn line.

"I'm not going. I'm not saying why, but I'm not going."

He shrugged. "Okay, then. I won't argue with you." Link spun around and exited his counterpart's house, trying to ignore the frown on his face. He'd just reached the bottom on the hill when the banging started. Ravio's voice rose, both annoyed and distressed. What the?

"Sheerow, stop! Quit it – I need that book!" Oh. It appeared that the merchant's faithful pet disagreed with him about something. There was a pause, and then Ravio continued speaking,

"No, I told you I'm not going! Sheesh! Remember what happened the last time? ... …What do you mean she's not going to care?! Of course she is; I almost torched the place! Are you crazy?"

"Link?" Zelda murmured in confusion. "What's going on?'

He turned to look at her, mouth twisted in a puzzled grimace. "Honestly? I've no clue."

There had been silence while they'd spoken, but Ravio's voice started up again, just as loud as it had been the first time. "Sheerow, for the love of Naryu, stop! I'm going okay?! I just need to finish getting these books organised, and then- ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow – alright! I'm going, I'm going!"

The door flew open, and Link watched as his counterpart staggered towards them, trying to avoid his swooping bird, swaying under the weight of numerous books and old scrolls. He sighed when he reached the bottom, flicking his fringe out of his eyes with an exasperated huff.

"So, you're coming after all?" the hero asked.

"Apparently. I know Princess Hilda will be happy to see you two. She's been … less than one hundred percent lately. I just wish I could figure out why." he mumbled.

"Why's that?" Zelda asked.

"Hmm? To tell you the truth, I don't know, Your Highness. How'd you get here, anyway, if you mind me asking?"

She waved a hand airily, grinning at him. "Why don't you take us up to the castle and I can tell your princess the tale as well?"

Ravio, to Link's surprise, instead of being offended, started laughing. "Oh Goddesses! That reminds me of that day in Thieves' Town!"

The two Hyruleans shared a look, matching grins on their faces as they watched him begin to walk up the path ahead of them. Curiosity piqued, Link caught up easily, and to be fair, Zelda wasn't far behind.

"Why, what happened?" he asked.

Ravio grinned at them, lips quirking in mischievous delight. "She thinks I didn't notice," he chuckled.

"Notice what, exactly?"

"Ah, I suppose I have to tell the whole tale. It was the day I lost my temper with the blacksmith, and Princess Hilda was heading to Thieves' Town – I was accompanying her, and I quote, 'for needed optimism' – but also because of the whole 'restoration operation'."

"The one you got roped into?"

The merchant tilted his head to one side. "In all honesty, she asked me if I would, and I accepted. But yes, the same one. What, you think there was another?"

"No, course not. What do you take me for? A fool?" As soon as the words left his lips, Link regretted saying them. Ravio's eyes were sparkling with mischief, and Zelda was merely grinning a Cheshire grin. Oh dear.

"Doesn't matter. As I was saying, the Princess and I were in Thieves' Town and the locals decided they wanted to pitch in. I had a plan, but I needed time to convince some friends of mine to help me. It was going to make the whole process a whole lot faster, and easier. I had a bit of a discussion with Princess Hilda before I left, and something she said had us both stumped."

"What? What'd she say?" Zelda pressed, chuckling to herself.

Link could see the growing smirk and rolled his eyes, "Ravio! Can you just tell us already? The suspense is killing me!"

"Really?" came the cool reply, "You don't look very dead to me. What a pity."

"Ravio!"

"Why… according the Princess of the realm, I'm nothing shy of brilliant."

"What?!" Zelda exclaimed. "Did she really say that?"

He nodded, beaming. "She really did."

"Oh, damn."

Link glared at the blonde, trying not to smile. "Zelda!" he admonished. "Language!"

"Preposterous."

"I wasn't finished." Ravio interrupted, chuckling. "That wasn't the end of it, however. I personally found her reaction rather adorable – she looked so completely dumbfounded, it was ridiculous."

"So-o, what happened next?" To Link, the Princess of Hyrule sounded like a little kid, begging to know how the fairytale ended. The image brought a smile to his face, and he merely continued to listen to the conversation.

"Well, off I went to begin the first stages of my plan. I knew I couldn't play Octoball dressed like I usually am, so I scurried down my little rabbit hole and fished out something m-my mother had made for my father years and years ago. He wasn't a very big man, but he had a heart of gold, and the biggest smile you'd ever see."

Silence. From the way his counterpart spoke, Link had a feeling he knew what happened to Ravio's father. "What about your mother?"

"Heh. My mother was a music teacher. The best in the kingdom – she taught Princess Hilda everything she knows about music. My father always said that I was too much like her for my own good… I didn't go looking for trouble, it found me. And it did, in the end." He shook his head. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

Link placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, smiling sadly. "It's okay, we understand. It hurts."

Ravio sighed. "More than you could begin to know. Where was I?"

"Something about your plan?" Zelda offered quietly.

"Right. So I fished out my father's old uniform, and then I was off to see the Octoball players. They were more than happy to see me; and after a few rounds of the game, they were willing to listen. I was walking back through the entrance to Thieves' Town when Princess Hilda stuck her head out from where she'd been watching the meeting so far, and I swear, I'll never forget her face then, for as long I live."

"Why's that?"

"She looked so damn surprised! I couldn't stop grinning, and her expression morphed into something I can only describe as flustered. I'd say she was blushing, but I can't be sure." he added with a slight laugh. "Then she just vanished… until the rock throwing incident, that is. But that's another story."

"You're telling the truth?" The princess of Hyrule demanded. He nodded, and the blonde started laughing, eyes alight with glee. "I can't believe it! Hilda, getting flustered over you dressed in a uniform? Oh, dear. What on Farore's green earth did you do?"

"That's exactly it – I didn't do a thing."

They were crossing the bridge leading up the castle, and Link knew they were running out of time. His counterpart paused in front of the doors, and turned back to look at them. The Hero of Hyrule suddenly realised how exhausted Ravio looked, and wondered just how much he'd slept recently. From the way he was talking, he had a lot to handle.

His eyes were unusually sharp as he studied their faces, and Link felt uncomfortable beneath his gaze. "Just be careful. Whatever Her Grace has; it's unpredictable. Do anything, and I mean _anything_ to set it off, and I will hold you responsible. That means you, Link."

He was speechless with indignation. Did Ravio seriously think that he would do something stupid? Come off it! Granted, he was immature; but not that immature. Grumbling silently to himself, he wordlessly followed Ravio and Zelda into the castle. Clearly, a lot had happened for Ravio to suspect him of immaturity. A lot.

* * *

 **So we get an insight into what Ravio's family was like. His mother was a music teacher? Yeah, that's important. Like that song I mentioned last chapter. Ravio seems to be back to his cheeky old self, too, thank goodness. Writing serious Ravio this early on this killing me. You don't know how hard it is; reigning in the Ravio I know him to be. Oops.**

 **I won't be posting Chapter 6 until I've fixed 4 and 5, sorry! So if you follow the story, and are waiting for the next chapter, it might be a bit of wait. Once again, apologies, and I'll fix it as soon as I can.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanking Esty for the review this time round, and on with the chapter. We find out what Ravio's got - it's explosive - and things end up a bit ... intense. Oh dear.**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

As they approached the giant double doors, there was the faintest trace of a melody, and Zelda saw Ravio close his eyes. He pressed a hand flat on the doors, before he pushed them open. The melody swelled and grew into a gentle song, and the Princess of Hyrule could only smile as she caught a glimpse of her sibling royal.

Princess Hilda sat with her head bowed, eyes closed, long fingers plucking at the strings of a harp. Her clothing was rather plain by normal standards, and she carried no sign of her status except the very manner of air around her. Long violet hair, though brushed, was left down to pool on her shoulders, not teased and tweaked into some elaborate updo. She was; Zelda had to admit; quite beautiful.

Piles of paper were stacked messily at Hilda's feet, and she felt a twinge of sympathy. Paperwork. Ah, the bane of any leader of a country. How she hated it.

Beside her, Ravio chuckled and shook his head, stepping further into the room. "Decided to opt out of the dreaded paperwork this morning, did we, Princess?"

There was a discordant jangle as Hilda's eyes flew open, and the Lorulean princess' lips parted as she mouthed a single word. Zelda had no doubts as to what it was – her counterpart's gaze never left Ravio's face as she rose to her feet. "Paperwork? Who needs that?" she asked.

"You, and every other ruler of a kingdom," he pointed out.

"Okay, okay, you got me. Yes, I 'opted out' but c'mon! I found my old harp, and I haven't played in … seven or eight years. Give me a break!"

Zelda's lips twitched and she pushed the door open more, enabling her to step inside the room. "He mightn't be able to, considering he hasn't got the authority, but I sure can. I had no idea you were a musician, Hilda."

"Zelda! What are you doing here?" Her counterpart's eyes were wide with surprise, and the Princess of Hyrule had to laugh.

"Ah, you know, bossing Link around. He suggested a trip out of the castle, and there no way I was going to refuse. You know how dull it gets in a castle!"

"That I do. Good thing I've got Ravio – nothing's dull with him around. Even paperwork is fun."

Zelda raised a disbelieving brow. "The words 'fun' and 'paperwork' don't belong in the same sentence."

"The only reason she calls it enjoyable is because of the endless, sarcastic commentary," Ravio drawled, stepping over to the offending piles, and sorting through them.

Hilda giggled, to her counterpart's shock. Actually giggled. "That, and your habit of turning any stupid requests into a massive bonfire, you little arsonist – I can't believe you sometimes!"

The glare he gave her could have turned milk sour. "I swear, one of these days, Princess or not, I'll toss you out a window. Do you know many Goddess-forsaken requests for money that blasted blacksmith has sent in? Two hundred, plus how many more is in this week's stash. And yes, I've counted." As he spoke, he flipped through a massive, wobbling stack of paper with a scowl before tearing it to shreds.

Zelda chuckled. "Damn. He's better at it than any of my clerks, or Impa. Impa takes forever to go a document, checking and cross-checking it for 'political errors' before handing it to me. You sure I'm not allowed to take him back to Hyrule with me?"

"Yes, I am. Lorule needs a leader, and I'm not up to the task alone. I'm no natural – that's all Ravio. The people see him as some sort of hero. And he hates it."

"Sounds like you two make quite a team." Zelda commented with a grin. "I'm _'supposed'_ to be following Link as he shows me around the Lost Woods. One of the comments was that it was very easy to get 'lost' in there, and despite the double meaning, I agree with them. It is."

"Mother Din! Did you have to mention that part, Zelda? It's embarrassing!" Link complained from the doorway.

"It's embarrassing only because it's true, Sir Link. You know that," she replied with a snicker.

"You're on a first name basis already? What's up that I don't know about?" Hilda queried.

"The sky." Ravio joked from his place amongst a mess of scrolls. "Plus the fact that Linky-boy here has a major crush on his princess."

"That's hilarious!" her counterpart laughed, then realised another thing. "Why on earth did you knight him?"

Zelda rolled her eyes. "Because he saved Hyrule. He tried to refuse a knighthood, but I told him he deserved doubly more than other knight in history … because he saved not one kingdom, but two. And it's not as hilarious as what I know."

There was a warning growl, and both princesses turned in alarm as Link straightened from his position, blue eyes fixed on his counterpart. "Ravio, I suggest you take that back. Your princess is sick, after all, and I'm pretty sure you don't want anything to happen to her. Take it back."

"I'll take it back only if you do, _Sir_ Link. Trust me; you don't want to see me angry." His movements were so fluid that Zelda could only stare as he rose to his feet, snapping his fingers dramatically. The fireball that appeared, hovering above his fingertips, made her jaw drop. Never in a million years would she even consider Ravio having magic.

"That's a nice trick." Link spat, hand drifting closer his sword. "Can it do anything?"

"It can roast the flesh from your face. Does that count?"

Hilda swallowed, and took a hesitant step forward. "Stop, both of you! This isn't going to get anyone anywhere! I understand you want to protect your princesses, but this isn't certainly the way to do it. Have sense, I beg this of you!"

"Sense? Nope, got none of that." Link quipped, earning a scowl from Zelda.

"Don't I know it," she grumbled.

"And I'm pretty sure all that fighting has left him brainless, too. Such a pity, really." Ravio commented, raising an eyebrow. "He could have made a fine tactician."

Link snarled, and made to draw his sword, but a fireball smacked into the hilt, causing him to snatch his fingers back with a glower. "Seriously, Ravio?! Are you trying to melt my sword to my back?"

The merchant's response was to sigh. "No, Link. I'm merely trying you stop from hurting someone by accident. Let's call it a safety precaution."

"'Hurting someone by accident'? Yeah, what I'm about to do, it might be a considered an accident when I punch you in the face!"

Zelda flinched. This was moving too fast, and tempers were reaching boiling point. This had to stop. Before someone did serious damage. And she had a sinking feeling that it wouldn't be Ravio. It only got worse when she noticed the familiar glow of a Triforce piece. Great Naryu. This couldn't be good.

Then the taunting stopped, and the tables turned. Link dropped into a crouch, and he was in front of his counterpart. He'd used the Pegasus Boots, and she hadn't even seen it coming. No, no, no. She heard Hilda scream as he picked Ravio up the collar and threw him backwards into a wall. Without even checking to see if the merchant was alright, Zelda stepped in to deal with the Hyrulean wielder of Courage.

"Control yourself, Hero. If you don't have the self-control required, you automatically forfeit your knighthood. You're out of line, Link! Am I understood?" He mumbled something incomprehensible, avoiding her gaze. She wouldn't have it, and she made it perfectly clear. "I said _, am I understood_?"

"Yes," he replied finally.

"Yes, _what_?" she demanded angrily.

"I mean, 'Yes, Princess,'" he corrected himself.

"Good. I'm glad we're on the same page."

Turning on her heel, she stalked over to where Hilda stood by Ravio's side. It didn't much for her to notice her counterpart's tears, and she placed a comforting hand on the Lorulean princess' shoulder. The other royal sniffled, before continuing to cry. She definitely wasn't a hundred percent.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I don't usually cry but…"

"It's okay," she replied.

"Hey, hey, Princess," A voice croaked, and Ravio opened his eyes, grinning. "Don't you dare go crying over me - I'm not worth it."

"Liar," she muttered, "If it's worth organising a prank to get you to smile on a bad day, I think it's worth crying if you get hurt. You should know better than to argue with me."

"Suspicion confirmed. Lorule's princess is a stubborn troublemaker."

He rose slowly to his feet, and had hardly taken a step before he thrown off-balance again. Zelda chuckled when she saw the startled look on his face as he realised what had happened. Hilda had her arms wrapped his middle, and her face was buried in the front of his robes – she was crying again, but these were tears of joy. She was hugging him.

"You know… I can only think of the mischief my mother would cause if she was alive and happened to see this," he commented. "The rumours alone would make Yuga seem harmless."

Hilda shuddered. "I hate rumours. They terrify me." she mumbled. "And I'm not stubborn."

Zelda saw Link edging out the door, and grinned to herself. Time to go – they'd better give their counterparts some privacy. "Well, I suppose I've been 'lost' in those Woods for long enough. I do believe I should get going. Have fun restoring the kingdom, and Ravio? Look after her."

With that, Princess Zelda of Hyrule left the kingdom of Lorule by the same means she'd come – magic and one knighted Hero. Only when she left with Link, she left two Loruleans in peace. It would have been a disaster otherwise.

* * *

 **Privacy. Hehe. Privacy. Bad brain for thinking that. Anyway... hugs! And yes, Ravio's right. His mother would cause that much trouble. And those insults - ouch! Nasty things aren't they?  
**

 **See you later!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys. Sorry about this chapter ... school assessment got in the way, and still is. For the life of me, I can't remember if I had any more reviews or not, so if you reviewed or followed or favourited, thanks!**

 **This chapter is the biggest yet, so get ready. And when I say big, I mean history-alerting-big. This is it -** **the** **chapter where it all starts. And if you're like me, you're going to to love the cameos and references in this one.**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

It was a massive game of seek and find. One of the old scrolls Ravio had found beneath the Thieves' Hideout mentioned a library hidden in the palace. He was wandering the hallways in search of the elusive archives, and so far he hadn't a scrap of luck. One hand trailed over the stone surface of the wall, while the other held a single wisp of light.

It was late, and all was quiet in the castle. Well, almost everything. The princess was following him, and he was forced to hold his laughter as he listened to the sounds of muffled cursing as she staggered about, bumping into walls and doors. It wouldn't be polite to laugh at her expense, nor was it wise.

His eyes closed as he recalled the ancient hand which wrote the words. The writing was old, far, far older than anything ever discovered before – it was a good thing he'd enjoyed his mother's History lessons. Even the manuscript located in Snowhead hadn't been as old. It was older than the recorded documents, most of which dated to before the Great War.

 _'There in the palace of the heart lies a great treasure… knowledge. It was late at night when I stumbled upon this sacred gift, and the silence was so loud I was sure the others on watch would hear me as I blundered about. I was determined to get to the root of the matter whence it concerned the safeguarding of my charge for nothing was of more importance. It was dark, and the light of my lantern was all I had to see by, so I was sure I had been found out when the wall gave out beneath my touch. Thankfully, Lady Hylia preserving, it was not so.'_

It was then that his fingers caught a raised edge, and he started in surprise, only to stub his toe on the wall. He bit his tongue to swallow the curse that rose in the back of his throat as he lifted his left hand to examine the stone, filling the whole area with light. He ran his hand over the wall again, feeling for the very raised surface which thrown him off before. There. He hooked his fingers around the lip and tugged.

There was a shift, and the stone gave way, bringing a section of the wall with it. There was dust in his hair, his eyes, and his throat. Dust on the ground and dust on the frail wooden door in front of him. Twin pillars of stone guarded the entrance to the forgotten room, and he reached out a hand, twisting the doorknob. It moved without a sound, revealing the secret the castle had withheld for generations of the ruling family. The library.

A rustling sound alerted him to her presence, and he turned as she stepped into the ring of light. Her brow was furrowed, and she had dark circles under her eyes. Princess Hilda looked exhausted; she needed what little sleep she could get, prey as she was to nightmares. "Ravio? I heard a noise and - what happened to the wall?"

He loosed a breath. "I found one of the kingdom's best kept secrets."

"I wasn't aware there were any secrets to be kept," she replied.

Ravio chuckled, mouth quirking in a wry grin. "There are always secrets, Princess. Always. Believe me."

She folded her arms, frowning at him disapprovingly. "I'm aware of that, thank you, Ravio. Now, are you going to let me in there or not?" she demanded.

He inclined his head, sweeping one arm behind him as he bowed to her. "Of course, milady. I wouldn't be able to stop you if I tried. Not I would – that would be considered improper of me, and I would not wish any ill on Your Grace in having to decide my fate."

She tapped him on the head as she passed him, attempting to hide her smile. "Cut it out. I don't want to have to discuss the 'penalty for murder' issue again."

He snorted as he closed the door behind him after he entered, leaning back against the wood with a smirk. "Ah, forgive me, Princess. I do think I put forward a rather convincing argument – but if her highness disagrees I can always eat my words. Or my hat if that is what milady wishes."

She took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Ravio, for the love of all things good and proper, _shut up_. I have no wish to do something rash and stupid, because you can guarantee there would be no going back. You don't want me to start calling you Link, now do you?"

He shuddered. "Heavens, no. I'm not that terrible … just a troublemaker, really."

She turned to face him, mouth quirking into the semblance of a smile. "Just a troublemaker, hmm? I think not – you're a scholar, as much as you hate to admit it. And your magic gifts you with incredible talent in both the weaponry department and truly endless possibilities in crafting. No, you aren't just a troublemaker."

He snapped his fingers, failing completely to keep the smile off his face. Ravio walked over to where she stood in the center of the room, resting his elbows on the table that sat nearby. "Why, Princess, it almost sounds as if you admire me. Could this be true?"

She immediately turned away from him, and he sniggered as her ears turned a deep crimson. "Perhaps," she mumbled.

"You're blushing," he pointed out with a sly grin.

"Princesses do not blush." she snapped. Oh, she was blushing alright – he hadn't heard her sound so defiant in a very long time. He raised an eyebrow, and would have continued if his gaze hadn't fallen to the table, and the book resting there.

It seemed rather plain, but Ravio didn't have to look twice to know it wasn't. The script etched into the cover was old, a series of glyphs that he could barely translate. He pulled the volume towards him, startled by the familiar zing of magic against his fingertips. "That's strange. Who would magic a book?"

"What?" The princess, her previous anger with him forgotten, turned to glance his way.

He frowned, running a finger along the glyphs in concentration. "This book has been protected magically – I'd say the workings of the spell have to a thousand years old, at least."

"But the kingdom has only been around for nine centuries!" she protested, eyes widening. "How is that possible?"

"Oh, it's possible, alright," he muttered. "The land has existed far longer than the monarchy. Far, far longer. At best guess, I'd this particular book is around the Sky period – a time of great upheaval, so frankly, I'm surprised this thing still exists."

When he turned back to look at Princess Hilda, she was staring at him in complete confusion. "Um, speak Hylian, please? That just flew clear over my head. What on Farore's green earth are you talking about?"

He rolled his eyes. "Did you never learn Lorulean History?"

She scowled. "Of course I did! A princess needs to learn the history of her people, after all."

"Clearly your tutor didn't do a good enough job then, if you'll forgive for me saying so, Princess. The Sky period refers the time before the establishment of the kingdom, dating from post-creation to about, oh, I don't know, fifteen or twenty years before the foundation of the monarchy. Not a lot is known about this period, here or in Hyrule, but I suspect that's going to change."

"Oh."

He groaned, and returned his attention to the volume in front of him. Clearly, trying to explain Lorulean history to the princess was going to be quite a challenge. The magic warding the book still made his fingers tingle, and he was startled by the flare of light that suddenly erupted, and he yelped as his magic swarmed over the precious volume as he lifted it up. Trying to ignore the jitters he felt in his stomach, he watched as the book fell back onto the table, opening to the first page as it landed.

"I don't believe it," he whispered. "How can this be? I can read this like it's written in my own-" His eyes widened and he scrabbled in his pockets for the folded piece of paper he carried. Pulling it out, he smoothed out the creases, and gently placed the fragment next to the volume. Yes, it was the same. Which meant that… "By the stars!"

"What is it?!"

"Th-this is the same writing! The very same writing from which I translated the location of the library and if this book is written by the same person… this could change the course of history! Do you understand what this means, Princess?"

Her eyes glowed, and he was sure his grin matched the one that spread itself across her face. "Ravio, you're a genius! What does the book say?"

"Let me see… 'To whom it may concern. This is the recordings of a hero who wasn't and all that he saw or did is stored within the pages of this volume. Should it be of your interest, there are four more volumes similar to this – all but one remains in these walls. I have a sinking feeling that you will soon need the information these journals withhold. Aviol Narbitt.'"

"Aviol… the name's familiar, but I can't place why." Hilda mused.

Ravio closed his eyes, feeling a shiver run down his spine. He knew why it was so familiar. "I can."

She'd been humming absently, a tune he knew he knew, couldn't place; should be able to place. He could just catch the echo of an instrument, full of sorrow and lament. Only when silence met his ears did he realise she'd stopped, and he raised his head, eyes boring into hers' as he turned around. "I can. Aviol was the name of Lorule's first hero. I just never knew I was his descendent."

* * *

 **Cliffhanger! Aren't I terrible? Hehe... Bombshell time! Boom!**

 **See you next time, and enjoy the chapter!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8. Amusing, indeed. Seemingly unimportant, but nope. Not really.  
**

* * *

There was laughter from the castle of Lorule as the Hyrulean bearers of Wisdom and Courage approached it. The pair stopped, brows rising at they contemplated the joyous sound.

Link rolled his eyes. "Well," he sighed. "At least we know they're in there."

"Indeed. And they're not yelling and screaming at each other." Zelda commented drily, hands on hips. "Or worse."

The Hero of Hyrule snorted, dismissing her words. "Now, Zel, do you really they'd try and kill each other? Not me – they're too close to want to do so. Yelling and screaming? Yeah, okay, I admit I could see a chance of that happening. But not the killing. Ravio would never harm her."

"You're sure?"

"Dead sure, Princess. Now, come on – I want to see what the fuss is about."

Zelda chuckled as she followed him into the castle. Typical Link; always charging headfirst into the action. What they saw when they entered the throne room made them stop and stare. There were books everywhere; stacked all over the place; from floor to ceiling. A particularly large pile wobbled unsteadily on Hilda's throne.

In the palace, the noise was even louder. Ravio's voice echoed as it bounced around the walls.

"Okay, okay, show me. What's got you so soppy?"

"Soppy! Soppy?! Ravio, that's preposterous! And I'm most definitely not showing you. No way." Hilda shot back.

Laughter. "Princess, show me. I promise I'm not going to tell anyone. And you're blushing again."

"No I'm not!"

"De-ni-al," he sang, eliciting a screech of horror from the Lorulean princess as he snatched the book from her grasp. "Seriously? You were getting mushy over that? Goddesses, you're so hopeless."

"Give it back, Ravio or I swear for the love of-"

"'All things good and proper, I'll do something stupidly rash?'" he mimicked. This made Link collapse in a laughing fit while Zelda just sighed. Naryu help her, bearers of Courage were so immature.

"I do _not_ sound like that!" Hilda protested vehemently. "Din, I don't know why I put up with you!"

A sigh. "Because you need me, plain and simple."

There was a momentary silence, and then footsteps approached the archway. Oh good. Ravio appeared, walking backwards, eyes fixed on someone Zelda couldn't quite see. He was guiding them with careful instructions: "No, take it slow. You knock the pile over, you're picking it up. Left a bit, no, no right; heavens, you're worse than Sheerow! At least he can go in a straight line!"

"I'm offended, Ravio, that you would think such a thing. You could at least help!" Hilda retorted, voice muffled by a tower of books.

Even though she couldn't see his face, Zelda could imagine the Lorulean's expression as he spoke, "Ah, but I am helping, dear Princess. You haven't fallen over yet. Give ol' Ravio some credit, will you?"

An obnoxious snort erupted from the Hero as he lay on the ground, and Zelda rolled her eyes. "Really, Ravio? I'm pretty sure she could have your head for saying things like that."

He chuckled as he turned to face her, bowing with a flourish that made Link snort yet again. "Greetings, Princess Zelda…. And hello to you too, Mr. Hero. You really are rather undignified, for a knight and all."

Link pushed himself to his feet, grinning. "Rubbish. I can be undignified and immature as I want."

"So _I_ have to be the mature one? Thanks a lot, Link. Thanks. Anyway, what brings you to Lorule? Irritating nobles? Prankster Sages? Do tell."

Behind him, Hilda attempted to turn the corner and ended up walking into the pillar closest to her. Needless to say, she lost her balance, and fell backwards, landing with a groan as a large book hit her on the head. "Stupid thing. Who put that there?" she grumbled to no-one in particular.

"Princess, it's been there for centuries. And the architects did."

She glared daggers at the back of his head. "Ravio? You're not helping in the slightest."

"I'm aware of that, Highness. Are you saying you would like my assistance?"

"Of course I'm requesting your assistance!" she snapped. "Stop acting like you don't know what's going on, you idiot! And if I recall correctly, this was your idea in the first place."

Link cringed. "Ouch. Angry princess? Not good. Angry _Lorulean_ Princess? Even worse."

Zelda clipped the hero over the back of the head. "Shut up," she advised. "You're just going to land yourself in trouble."

Ravio rolled his eyes, before turning around and silently picking the fallen volumes in his arms. Zelda had marvel at his work ethic – if something had to be done; he got in and did it. No complaining, maybe a smart comment or two, but he did it.

She couldn't entirely say the same about Link. It wasn't a chore to get him to do things, exactly, it was just that the former hero's psychological scars and laid-back nature often caused him to butt heads with his superiors. He was forever looking at things from a different angle, and it frustrated some people. Mostly the palace guards and one or two of his fellow knights.

Hilda groaned as she was set back on her feet, shaking her head. "Thank you, Ravio. I must apologise for snapping at you – you don't get enough credit for what you do. Can you… help me with these books? You know… the Narbitt ones?"

The merchant smiled. "Of course. You needn't have asked."

"Let me help," Zelda murmured, startling them out of the mood which had settled over the castle.

Ravio shook his head. "My apologies, Princess, but I think it's best if Her Grace and I do this alone. It is our history we are trying to piece together, after all."

"Rather relaxed about the whole thing, aren't you, Ravio?" Link quipped. "I'm certain I heard at least two collectives terms then."

"Ah, shut it, Mr. Hero. You carry on - I'll toss _you_ backwards into a wall, and throw these three books on heroes in with it."

"Books on heroes?" Hilda queried, standing on her toes. "Let me see!" He passed them over and she flipped through them with a practiced air, before snapping the volumes shut with a resounding boom. Zelda winced, clamping down an undignified snort of laughter as Link toppled over from shock. Clumsy, clumsy Link.

"Farore, Link," she sighed. "you're hopeless!"

Ravio chuckled. "Nope, he's not – Princess Hilda is."

The look on her counterpart's face made Zelda wish she'd thought to bring her pictograph box. It was absolutely priceless – Hilda kept opening her mouth to say something, only to close it again. Finally, she got words out and they most certainly were not anything anyone expected her to say,

"So, if I'm hopeless, does that make my counterpart a ditz?"

The two boys cracked up laughing as the Hyrulean princess reeled backwards, surprise written all over her face. "What? Hilda, I never!"

The Lorulean royal smirked, her crimson eyes glittering with sly delight. "You're a ditz, Zelda. Blonde, proud, and secretly as immature as your hero is. Not to mention a romantic."

"I am _not_!" she protested.

"You are."

"Not."

"Are."

"Not."

"Oh, come on. I know what you're like – I'm not stupid. I'm aware as you are." Hilda folded her arms to emphasis her point.

"Aware of _what_ , exactly?" Zelda scoffed.

"That old saying: 'wisdom and courage, twin pieces, twin hearts'." Ravio cut in smoothly, shaking his head. "Honestly, you must be blind. Mocking your counterpart, but never thinking of the implications?"

Link swore as he pushed himself upright, flicking bits of wool from his clothes. "Yes, yes, Ravio, we all get it. The Princess and the Hero. Like something out of a storybook tale if not for the historical indications – all past incarnated bearers of said Triforce pieces ending up in some sort of relationship."

"Very true, Mr. Hero. All except the Hero of Time, of course. It's rumoured that the Princess Zelda of that time never stopped mourning him, even to the day of her death. Star-crossed lovers, indeed."

"What? All bearers of the Triforce of Wisdom bore the same name?" Zelda spluttered.

Ravio grinned and tossed her a book, which she caught with ease. "Interesting, huh? Read it," he advised. "It should shed some light on the earliest years of Hyrule's history. Personally, I found it amusing."

"And," Hilda piped up, "Link should probably read the three volumes on heroes. Should come in handy, I think."

This statement caused the Hero to groan in dismay. "I have to read stuff? Just great."

"It's your history," she pointed out.

"Doesn't mean I have to like it, now, do I?"

* * *

 **Ah, don't worry, Link. You'll understand eventually. Hopefully updating sooner after this, as I'm on holidays.**

 **See you!**

 **\- Familiar.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Thanks to SilverDollar98, Redead Knight and Snowclip for the follow; and to Tails1213, Redead Knight, Snowclip and Bird Spell for the favourite! It keeps me updating when I can!**

 **Chapter Nine. Oh wow. Almost time for some action and some mushiness, don'tcha think? I know I do.**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

Princess Hilda woke up to an insistent tapping on the window outside. Three weeks had passed since she and Ravio had finished cataloguing the books in the library, and she could sense restlessness in her companion. He was missing something. It had taken them months to finish the work, and no-one knew the library better than Ravio did now. Not even her. She threw back the covers and slid her feet into her slippers, yawning. It was ridiculous – it wasn't even five in the morning! She stumbled over to the window, and yanked it open. A mimicked tune rang in her ears, causing her to glare at the messenger.

"Honestly, Sheerow? He couldn't, I don't know, come into the castle to tell me _himself_?" she growled, raking a hand through a messy nest of hair. Personally, she blamed it on the pillows.

An indignant whistle and the bird fluttered through the window to land on her shoulder. Bright, curious eyes stared up at her, and Sheerow dropped a letter into her cupped palms. Hilda stared at it for a few seconds, before turning around and sitting back on her bed. It was too early for silly nonsense – she just prayed that Ravio hadn't landed himself in serious trouble. She wasn't sure what she'd do to him if he did that.

She broke the wax seal, noting the way it crumbled delicately between her fingers, and read the letter.

 _'Dearest Princess Hilda,_

 _As you've figured out by now, this is Ravio writing this. By the time you read these words I'll be in Hyrule bugging Mr. Hero. Got some trading to do, y'see. Trust me, it'll benefit the kingdom. Injured citizens can't rely on fairies forever, so I decided to somethin' about it. Isn't that what you what? S'pose I'll see the Hyrulean Princess when in Hyrule, and see the Sages too. That is what one does in a foreign land, right? Pay their respects to the ruling council? Better do a decent job of it, then._

 _Love, Ravio._

 _p.s Expect me back by noon. I won't be late!_

 _p.p.s Look after Sheerow, and please, please reply. I kinda need to know you received this!'_

She swallowed a particularly vulgar curse, and flopped backwards, staring up at the ceiling with vacant eyes. Sheerow hopped from her shoulder to her hand as she lifted it up, groaning in dismay. "I'm so going to kill him," she muttered to the little bird. Sheerow didn't reply.

Meanwhile, in Hyrule, Link woke up to find himself out of bed, having fallen face-first onto the floor. He picked himself up with a grunt, barely registering the person knocking on his door. It was only when the person spoke did he come to realise, and he almost choked on his surprise, great as it was.

"Come on, Mr. Hero, open up! I know you're awake – I can hear it. You'd have to be at the castle in an hour, anyway."

There was one person in the world who called him that, and that was his counterpart. But it begged the question: what on Farore's green earth was he doing here? Nevertheless, Link hurried to the door and wrenched it open so Ravio could enter his house. "This is a surprise," he commented around a yawn.

Ravio nodded, stretching. "Indeed."

"What are you doing here? Does your princess know?"

"Visiting, obviously. I was hoping to see the old witch about her potion recipes – people back home can't always rely on fairies. And no, not really…"

The Hero narrowed his eyes, taking in what his counterpart was wearing. A rich purple cloak was thrown over a warrior's attire: tunic, breeches and boots polished to a soft shine. A further inspection informed him of metal protecting Ravio's shoulders and it became clear to Link that his counterpart wasn't going for the humble merchant approach this time round. "You're wearing gauntlets...and gloves as well? Why?"

There was that pictograph box flash again, going off. "I have my reasons."

"Fine. I'm not going to argue with you."

A comfortable silence filled the space as they went about their business – Link preparing for the day he had ahead of him, and Ravio quietly sitting in a corner reading. At last, Link slung his shield over his shoulder, buckled his sword at his waist and headed to the door. Ravio wordlessly got up and followed, pulling his hood over his head. It was six o'clock.

Link pushed the door open, and the pair exited, jumping down off the rise onto the road below. A familiar swishing sound made Link groan, and Ravio sniggered.

"Hey, Greenie!" A voice called. "Who's your friend?"

"Morning, Irene. My friend is visiting from a foreign land – he is a member of that kingdom's ruling council."

Ravio raised his eyebrows, shrugging inwardly at the 'ruling council' comment. "Now, Link, I told you not to tell people that! It's a secret, remember?" His voice was accusatory, and Irene grinned.

"I'm Irene." she informed the Lorulean.

"I know," he replied. "You're one of the Seven Sages, and the best witch of your generation. Best friend of Gulley, also one of the Sages, and of Gerudic descent. The Gerudo were a desert-dwelling people in the age of Hero of Time, mainly consisting of women. They were skilled in the use of magic, fierce and notably very sassy. The only recorded Gerudo male in history is actually the King of Evil, so there you have it."

Both Link and Irene stared at Ravio, causing him to smile in smug satisfaction. Link found his voice first, and he had but one question, "How do you know all this? Not even Zelda knows Hyrulean history to that depth."

"Wise and knowledgeable your princess may be, but just like mine, she is unaware of the true historical bond our kingdoms share. She never read that book, did she?"

"Not that I'm aware of, no."

"So you're saying I would have always been a witch?" Irene asked quietly, bringing her broom lower.

Ravio tilted his head. "Perhaps. Or a thief and a warrior like your predecessor. I honestly cannot tell – the records we have back home do not deign as to the exact origins of the Gerudo, so I cannot be sure. I would say your ancestral people were Hylian like the rest of us at the beginnings of the monarchy, and the 'clan' swore fealty to the first King."

"Grandma will be so excited to hear this. She's always wondered."

Link hummed in agreement. "Huh. Zelda will be interested to hear this, I'm sure. Anyways, I'm off to the castle. See you later."

"See ya, Greenie!" Irene called as the Hero made his way up the road. She turned back to face Ravio, who was standing there humming to himself. "Can you tell my Grandma what you told me?"

"Sure! I was hoping to see her about potion recipes, anyway. We don't have witches back home. "

"What sort of kingdom doesn't have witches?" Irene asked. "Okay, then, I'll take you to her."

"It's appreciated, believe me. My princess is probably ready to have my head by now."

"'Your' princess? Are you in a relationship or something?"

Ravio laughed in amusement, eyes dancing beneath the shadow of his hood. "No, no, quite the opposite, Irene. We're just friends. Close friends, but friends all the same. There are no romantic feelings involved."

"That's what Link says. And you can probably guess how that's working out."

"Oh yes, I can. I can indeed,"

It didn't take long for Ravio to convince the old witch to part with her recipes, and by eight-thirty he was standing in the throne room of Hyrule Castle, chatting easily with Zelda and her advisor, Impa. Link burst in shortly after nine, wide-eyed and puffing, almost tearing his hair in frustration and contained rage.

Zelda didn't seem fazed. "Osfala giving you grief again, Sir Link?"

The Hero's eye twitched. "To say that is putting it mildly, Princess. And politely."

There was a whistle, and Ravio spun around as Sheerow flew in, a letter clutched in his claws. "Ah hello, buddy. I was wondering if you'd turn up. I presume you have something for me?" He took the letter, chuckling as he opened it and read the contents.

 _'Dearest Ravio,_

 _…What do you think you're doing? When Sheerow delivered your letter, I thought you'd gone and gotten yourself mortally wounded or worse, killed. I have a meeting with the ambassador from some kingdom in an hour. I wish you were here – I could really use your diplomatic skill. As always,_

 _Your Princess.'_

He sighed, folding the parchment and tucking it in his breeches' pocket. Ah, he'd make it up to her. He'd better do a good job of it though. Although he had a feeling she'd just be happy to see him, he had an idea that just might work…

* * *

 **I had fun writing those letters, particularly Ravio's. And Irene's 'are you in a relationship' question makes me smile. No romantic feelings my backside. You and Hilda are far too comfortable around each other, Ravio. And you're welcome to quiz me on those headcannons, but I suggest you want until Book Two to bombard me for being a smart-alec.  
**

 **Have fun, readers, and while you're at it, please review! Here's a challenge: I'd like to know what your favourite part is so far. You picked already?**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten. Whew. I just realised I have a long way to go, and we haven't even reached the Triforce pieces yet! Soon, I promise. Here's the fluff chapter I promised. And we get more of an insight into what Yuga did to the Princess of Lorule. If you think he's a pedophile now, wait until you read what he really did to her. Then you'll see just how much of a villain he is.**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

She closed her eyes, drinking in the silence, and was enveloped in a feeling of security as the door opened behind her. Hilda didn't need to turn to know who it was. Her heart left her without a doubt.

"Princess."

"You're as punctual as ever, I see, Ravio."

"I got your message, Highness. The Princess of Hyrule found great delight in your wording."

She sighed. "I wasn't pleased, as you can imagine, so of course Zelda found it amusing. I trust you found what you needed?" she asked.

"That and more." He paused, and she could see him frowning in her mind's eye. "Are you alright, Princess? You sound tired."

"I am. I had to endure an hour of listening to some stuck up ambassador prattle on about an alliance with his kingdom. Quite frankly, it was boring. And I have a headache."

He crossed the room to stand behind her. "Your hairstyle probably doesn't help," he advised.

She opened her eyes as she felt him tuck something behind her right ear, and tried not shiver. "You could get in big trouble if we get caught like this," she whispered.

He chuckled. "Who says we're going to get caught? Stop stressing; you'll just give yourself a bigger headache. "

She bit her lip, trying to ignore the fact that he had his fingers in her hair, working with surprising adeptness to pull out the pins holding it in place. Her hair went from being coiled elegantly atop her head, teased into long ringlets, to tumbling down her back when he removed the final clasp. The sensation gave her shivers more than any other.

"Your hair's really thick and soft," he murmured quietly.

"Thank you - I think." Her response made him laugh, and she smiled at the sound. It was almost musical.

"It's a good thing, Princess. Royalty have an image to uphold, and they say a woman's hair is her crowning glory. Which is most certainly the case with you."

She rolled her eyes, tilting her head to look up at him. "Why, Ravio, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you're flirting with me. Definitely against the rules."

He shrugged, gently lifting her crown from her head, and setting it on the table. "What can I say? I go looking for trouble, so rule breaking coincides with that."

Instead of replying, Hilda leaned back against him, closing her eyes with a sigh. "You're nice and warm," she murmured drowsily. "I could fall asleep right here, right now."

The steady rhythm of breath was lulling her to sleep and she knew she could stay like this all day long. It was quiet, and it was peaceful. Ravio had his arms wrapped around her waist, and she ran her fingertips along the cool metal of his gauntlets absentmindedly.

He shifted slightly, causing her to groan. "C'mon Princess. I can't have you falling asleep on me."

"Why not? I'm comfortable here," she retorted.

He sighed, and she felt him rest his chin on the top of her head. "I've got to ask - what is it about me that makes you relax so much? Even before everything went crazy, I could calm you down."

"You make me feel safe, Ravio. Sometimes..."

"Sometimes, what? You can tell me, I promise I won't judge you."

"No, you never would. You never would."

"Tell me. If something bothers you, it bothers me."

She exhaled. "It's just that I wake up screaming sometimes. Yuga never hurt me physically, but…"

He went rigid with tension, and she could feel his fury radiating from every pore of his body. "But he hurt you, didn't he? How? Answer me, Princess."

"He harassed me, Ravio. I didn't want his attention, nor did I want his flattery. His touch made my skin crawl and because of him I struggle to sleep at night. Only thoughts of you allow me to, and even then rest is fitful."

Ravio was seething, almost shaking, in anger, but he forced it back. That wasn't going to help anyone. "What if I was to keep an eye on you?" he suggested. "Maybe that would help? I wouldn't go so far as carrying you to your rooms, but surely you can sleep here in the library."

"You wouldn't have to carry me," she protested. "I'm not an invalid! But here? In the library?"

He chuckled. "Sure. The couch is comfortable enough to sleep on. Farore knows how many times I've done it in the past few months after I dragged it up here from my house. Often it was because I was too tired to get back home, so I just crashed."

She bit her lip, coming to a decision. "Okay," she agreed. "But you can't-"

She was cut off as he effortlessly swept her into his arms, and carried her over to the faded piece of furniture. This was simply out of line! He set her down; ignoring the look he was getting, removed his cloak from around his shoulders and let it float over the top of her. Despite the front she was putting up, Hilda immediately closed her eyes and snuggled down into the fabric surrounding her, inhaling the warmth the cloak offered.

"This is nice," she murmured around a yawn.

"Sweet dreams, princess. Sweet dreams…"

Fingertips traced a line down the side of her face, sending a ghostly fire along her jawline. And Hilda forgot she was a princess, forgot all but the feeling stealing over her, and the one person who had always cared. He made her feel more than safe. Around him she was free to be not someone of high status, bound to her title, but Hilda. Just plain old Hilda. He made her feel respected, honoured and proud and - dare she say it … loved. She clung to the thought as she drifted into the clutches of sleep, her smile never leaving her face.

When Hilda awoke, dusk blanketed the world in shades of warm amber and cool blue. Firelight pooled softly above Ravio's workspace, filling the entire space with flickering gold light. His eyes glowed as they turned in her direction, twin emeralds lit up with a spark unique only to him.

"Good evening, Princess. Sleep well?" His voice was as light as it had ever been, a subtle hint of playfulness and mischief capering through his words.

"Yes." She was surprised at the decisiveness in her tone, and they both grinned.

"Good to hear."

"What are you doing?" she queried as she got up and walked over to him, his cloak still wrapped around her shoulders.

"Little ol' me? Nothing much."

She sighed. "Ravio… about this ambassador?"

"Yeah? This wouldn't happen to be related to creeps, now would it?"

"Unfortunately. He makes me feel uncomfortable and I don't think I can trust him."

Something dark and dangerous shot through Ravio's eyes, and he gritted his teeth. "Leave him to me, Princess. I'll be watching him. You meet with him again tomorrow?"

"Yes. Can you stick around?"

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

She tugged on a strand of hair. "In the castle. It's late and I don't want you going home like this. You've been up since dawn! Just… don't fall asleep on the couch, Ravio, please. I can set you up in one of the guest suites for the night."

He sighed. "Well, if you insist, Princess. Alright."

"Thank you."

He smiled, reaching out and bringing her closer to him. "And how about we take a detour to the ballroom?"

She giggled. "The ballroom? Whatever for?"

"Why, for a little dancing of course! I know you love to dance."

"That I do, but with you? Can you actually dance?"

He rolled his eyes. "Of course I can! What sort of gentleman would I be if I didn't?"

And so that's how the evening passed. Just the two of them, dancing. Hilda would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy herself – her grin was a mile wide and her steps sure. Ravio had her laughing at his stories as they moved in time to a silent beat, and then holding back tears when she convinced him to sing for her. It couldn't have been more perfect.

* * *

 **Aw, how sweet. He just swept her off her feet. Literally.**

 **And in case you're wondering Ravio's not Link, he won't sit there and stare at a sleeping girl until his eyes fall out. Yeah, he'll keep an eye on her, and stuff a sketch in the back of his notebook, but that's to make sure she doesn't freak out in her sleep, not because she's pretty (okay, the sketch is because she looks adorable when sleeping, but why not? She won't find out.)**

 **See you when the action hits!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Wow, wow, wow. Before I begin I just want to thank everyone who's read the story so far, particularly those who've reviewed, followed and favourited. Because in under two months this story has hit over one thousand views, and is still climbing. That's certainly an achievement. I squealed when I saw it. I'm such a girl, aren't I? Haha.**

 **Anyways ...Chapter Eleven. The ambassador mentioned last chapter is back, and he's, well, not very pleasant. And Ravio has his Triforce! When does Hilda get her's, I wonder? Hmm... Enjoy!**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

There was a sudden flash, and Ravio jerked upright as a golden light spread along the back of his hand. No... It couldn't be. But it was - the Triforce of Courage. He stared in silence at the mark on his hand, before a sudden thought made him freeze. The Princess. She was in danger. A growl ripped itself from his throat as he shoved his chair backwards, tossing a blue Rupee onto the bar counter.

"You okay there, kid?" The veteran called.

"No." Ravio replied shortly, replacing his gloves, and then his gauntlets. He yanked his hood up, before bowing to the occupants of the bar. "Good day, gentlemen. I must attend to urgent matters at the castle. My apologies."

And then he was gone. Gone from the bar, taking with him his bird and a smouldering look in his eye.

"Release the Princess."

The words snapped like a whip as the great doors burst open, almost falling off their hinges. At the sound of that familiar voice, laced with barely contained fury, Hilda breathed a silent sigh of relief. Thank Farore.

The ambassador looked up as Ravio spoke, and his face paled. Hilda knew Ravio made a fearsome sight, and that was just appearance alone. He stood motionless in the doorway, head bowed, eyes closed. His gauntlets glinted dully in the mid-morning sun, and she saw by the way a muscle in his jaw jumped beneath the shadow of his hood that he was angry. While this wasn't a wild anger, it was controlled - just. And he wasn't far off from letting it out.

"And who are you to tell me what to do or say?" The ambassador sneered.

Green eyes opened to fix the older man with a cold glare, and she saw the ambassador gulp. "I am the last of the Narbitt line, a descendant of the Hero of Lorule, and a powerful magic wielder in my own right. I am also the Princess' bodyguard and assistant in scholarly endeavors."

"And I am Ambassador Vilen of the land of Reeping. Second born son of the third most powerful family in the land." He spoke haughtily, but Ravio soon put a stop to that, much Hilda's secret delight.

"Which puts you in no place to lay a hand on the Crown Princess of Lorule. I'm sure your family could not bear the shame of the knowledge that their son had harassed a crown royal. Why, for certain exile and denouncement."

Ambassador Vilen was speechless with rage. Hilda smirked, and he tightened his grip on her arm. "What are you smiling at, wench?" he snarled.

Ravio's eyes flashed, and he raised a hand that shook with the effort of controlling both impulse and instinct. "Call her that again, and I can make no guarantee that you will walk away from this castle unscathed. And believe me, _Ambassador_ ," he spat, "that is no idle threat. It is a promise."

The air did not crackle with tension, it burned with it. Ravio Narbitt wasn't someone who got angry easily; but when he did you took a step back. Only a fool would mess with him like this. Or an arrogant being who thought themselves above the world. And it appeared that the Ambassador of Reeping was both. To date, she knew of two things alone that could land her friend in such a state: the slander of his family name and a compromisation of her safety. He may have been a cheeky, mischievous scamp but he had his morals just the same as he had his demons.

"Very well, Master Narbitt. I understand your intent." The ambassador, bastard that he was, sounded bored with the whole affair.

Ravio's eyes narrowed. " _I said,_ release the Princess."

Hilda was sick of this verbal swordplay. She was sick of the jerk trapping her in his grip. And most of all, she was sick of his attitude. So she decided that she was going to do something about it. Ravio must have seen the gleam in her eyes, because the grin he gave the ambassador was feral and predatory. And he knew it. The ambassador stiffened, and as he did so, he loosened his vice-like grasp on her forearm.

"What's so amusing?" he demanded.

Ravio chuckled, examining the decorative metalwork on his gauntlets in a bored manner. "Oh nothing much. I'm just thinking of how horrified the land of Reeping will be to discover their Ambassador's ashes delivered on the doorstep of the palace. Along with a long, formal explanation as to why his death occurred, and the events leading up to it."

Hilda had to bite her lip to smother her laughter, lips turning up at the corners. She didn't know who he'd gotten his blatantly cool disregard for pompous idiots from, but she'd be damned if she didn't say he used it well. He had a sharp tongue, and an even sharper mind. She had meant it all those months ago when she told him that he was brilliant. Now that the ambassador was distracted, she could put her plan into action.

Ever so slowly, Hilda wriggled her fingers, one by one, out of her glove. Her breathing eased as Vilen adjusted his grip, allowing her to slide her hand past his clutching fingers. From there it was easy. Too easy, almost.

She straightened, and her dress swirled around her as she faced the ambassador. Her fingers twitched as she snatched her glove from his limp hold. "I'll take that," she snapped.

The sound of her palm connecting with his cheek echoed in the silence, and she heard Ravio's satisfied hiss. "Get your belongings, Ambassador," she snarled. "And _get_ _out_. Get out of my castle. Get out of my kingdom. If I hear word of you entering the land of my people, I have no qualms about letting my bodyguard do as he promised. Believe me, your rulers shall hear of your actions today."

Footsteps sounded behind her, and then Ravio stood at her back, adding his power to her own. She could feel him glare at the pathetic excuse for a man in front of them, and he threw his hood back, shaking his hair from his eyes. His voice was even, but there was no denying the authority underlining his words,

"Leave now and perhaps I won't give you something to remember me by, Vilen. A fire mage's mark cannot be removed - it's like a brand. Once it's there, it's there for good. Do you want that?"

The ambassador from the land of Reeping wisely fled. Whether or not he collected his belongings, Hilda did not care. Ravio watched her with a veiled wariness, his grip firm but gentle as he took hold of her shoulders, forcing her to look at him. "Are you okay?" he murmured. "You're shaking."

She nodded slightly. "So are you," she replied.

He scowled. "This conversation isn't about me. It's about you. The shaking is a side effect of adrenaline, I've found."

Her lips twitched. "So, it appears I have a _bodyguard_ now. How interesting."

He had the grace to blush and roll his eyes. "Look, Princess…" he sighed, "it was the first thing that popped into my head. Yesterday I had Link telling one of the Sages that I was on the Lorulean Council, so I guess that was on my mind."

Hilda gaped in surprise. "The Council? All the old Council members are dead! There hasn't been a Council meeting for over a decade."

"Perhaps that needs to change. Most Loruleans are good, honest people, and they need a say in the future of the kingdom. It's their home as well as yours and mine."

She tilted her head, studying him with a half-smile. "You really are a man of the people, aren't you?"

"Winter's coming, that's all. And the whole kingdom has to work together if we're to survive. Lorulean winters, beautiful as they are, are deadly. A Death Mountain blizzard in winter could kill a man without him stepping foot on the mountain. "

"True enough. What else happened in Hyrule yesterday?"

He hesitated. "I got those potion recipes I mentioned in my letter, and almost knocked a street seller flat for overcharging me. I can't believe he wanted ten rupees for one flower! It was ridiculous – I only ended up paying three, thank goodness." He swallowed, closing his eyes briefly before reopening them. "And I had a sassy witch ask me if I was in a relationship. She must have been, what, eleven; and from what I could tell, loved playing matchmaker."

Hilda froze. "What did you tell her?" she managed in a whisper.

He released her, running his fingers through his hair nervously. "I told her that I wasn't," he admitted quietly. "Only to have her compare me to Link. She said something about 'look how that's turning out'. I just don't know what to think at the moment. Sometimes I feel like I'm allowing myself to get too close to you. I mean, you're the Princess and I'm…"

"And you're you?" she finished, unable to stomach the pain she felt. "Oh, Ravio. Is there anything in Aviol's journal that could help you with this? I know it sounds stupid but…"

"I guess I'll have to find out."

She raised a hand, using it to frame one side of his face. "Go," she said softly. "because Naryu knows I need the answers as bad as you do."

He nodded, before stepping back, dropped into a low bow and left. She could only stare after him in immense sadness, unable to hide the tears that trailed down her cheeks as she turned and made her way up to her chambers. Somehow she couldn't bear facing the rest of the day without him next to her. It seemed silly when she thought about it, but she knew it wasn't.

* * *

 **Hehehe... that ambassador was rather 'vile', wasn't he? No? Okay, I'll stop. And Ravio got a promotion? What?! Technically it's a self promotion but Hilda doesn't seem to care. It gives him an official reason spend more time with her.**

 **By the way, if you've got any questions about the story in regards to any part of it, just shoot me a PM. I'd be more than happy to explain it to you.**

 **See you!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Thanks BrandonBGamer for the follow and favourite, and a super special thanks goes to prowessMaster44 for that beautiful review as well the follow/favourite. I'm glad you find this story so enjoyable.**

 **I think, you, my readers, will enjoy this particular chapter. I had way too much fun writing it. It's certainly worth a giggle or two.**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

He was tired to the bone. So tired he could hardly keep his eyes open – and no wonder. It was one in the morning, and he was in no shape to stay up any longer, combing through his ancestor's journal on a hunt for clues. He was so tired that he didn't notice when he closed his eyes, a finger marking the page he'd been reading, his head hitting the surface of the table with barely a sound. The single wisp of flame that had hovered over his shoulder winked out, as if snuffed by an invisible hand.

Ravio opened his eyes to find himself lying on a raised surface, and he forced himself to sit up, wincing. "I really need to stop doing that," he complained. "That table does not make a good place to sleep by any means."

"No, it most certainly wouldn't."

He spun around to find someone leaning on a wall behind him, arms folded across their chest. They wore a deer skin jacket, ringed with fur at the cuffs, and carried the air of a guardian and hunter. Teeth flashed white in the semi-darkness and they strode forward, bearing an easy confidence. Jet-black hair covered their eyes, and Ravio felt his jaw drop. "Where am I?"

The other shrugged. "You'd call it the Sacred Realm; the Realm of Spirits. Don't worry; you're not dead… yet. Just dreaming."

Ravio scowled, and pushed himself to his feet. "How amusing. Why am I here?"

The speaker moved into the light and Ravio's jaw hit the ground again. Green eyes met his, and the person smiled. The seventeen-year-old's mind was scrambling to process everything, and he could hardly form a coherent thought. "Hello Ravio. I've been waiting a long time for you."

He swallowed. "You have?"

A nod. "I have. Do you recognise me?"

"I-I…I feel like I should."

"Rightly so. You'd refer to me as a Shade in the land of the living. Think of me as a ghost, but unlike those of the restless spirits and Poes, able to pass on my knowledge to those next in line."

"Next in line? What's that supposed to mean?" he queried, noticing the flicker of pain in his companion's eyes. Whatever this Shade had been through made him think of his Hyrulean counterpart, and the scars he carried deep within himself. It reminded Ravio of his own pain, and he had to close his eyes.

"It means – it means that you'll shoulder great suffering, child. But have faith; no fire goes out unless you let it. Courage comes in many forms, and each to their own."

Guilt reared its head and Ravio's eyes flew open. "Haven't I suffered enough?" His voice was bitter, and he could smell the lingering smoke haunting his memories, feel the phantom tears. "My parents are dead, my best friend is broken and my home bears the scars of centuries. Isn't it enough?"

"Yes." The Shade's voice was barely above a whisper. "Yes, it is. But the mad never know how to give up, and so, we must remain behind to fight them. I, too, bore the Triforce of Courage – it's not easy. It never is."

"I seek the unseekable. I'm a mess. How can I help her if I can't help myself?"

"You speak of the Princess."

"Princess Hilda."

"I knew a Hilda once. If yours is anything like mine was, and still is, since she's a Shade like me, life's an adventure." The Shade chuckled.

Ravio snorted, tears of mirth escaping him. "Oh is it ever. I can't believe the things she says sometimes. And she's bossy when she wants to be – not that I would have her any other way."

Laughter in the distance. "Did you hear him, Ophelia? He wouldn't have her 'any other way'!"

More laughter. "I heard. Your son's quite the character there, Lorelai!"

He rolled his eyes, trying vainly not to groan in dismay. "And of course my mother and the old Queen would be Shades as well. I wouldn't be surprised if my whole family were know-it-all ghosts. No offense."

"None taken, son, none taken."

Ravio sighed. "Oh, I'm getting off track. I'm pretty sure you know why I'm here."

The Shade grinned. "You want answers."

"Yes. Can you help me? To be honest, the journals in the library weren't much help. And as to why someone would magically guard a book, I'll never know…"

The grin grew. "Only a true Narbitt could break the spell. It was a test, and you passed it in style."

"If you call 'style' scaring myself when the thing randomly combusts, then you have a strange sense of humour," he replied flatly.

"I'll admit your mother and Queen Ophelia weren't the only ones laughing at your banter that day. Whatever made you promise to eat your hat?"

"I don't know. It was a spur of the moment kind of thing."

"It was a good thing you didn't have to, I suppose. Fabric tastes terrible."

He smirked, raising an eyebrow. "And you know something about that, I presume?"

The Shade ducked his head, rubbing the back of his neck. "No, I never ate cloth. Bark, roasted bird, berries, half-cooked rabbit, pumpkin pie and pumpkin soup … lots of pumpkin."

A snicker escaped him, and he shook his head. "Half-cooked _rabbit_? Do I even want to know?"

A long-suffering sigh. "No." the Shade admitted. "You probably don't. Trust me; it's not something you want to do. I was sick for a month."

Someone chuckled. "I'm quite sure it's not something he wants to do – he's too busy looking after his princess. And he'll be even busier considering he's her bodyguard now. Something you excelled at, despite all your flaws. Although, when I think about it, I can't find any."

Can ghosts blush? It appeared that way. "Miss Lorealu, please. I don't need this, not now."

"Oh, you big wuss. You're only saying that 'cause you don't want to give away your secret. And you're spoiling all my fun."

A dark scowl. "Please!" He raked his hands through his hair, something Ravio himself did often, and spun towards the location of the voice. "You're not helping! If you want to do something useful, pull Ophelia and Lorelai into line. I can't take their scheming much more – it's driving me up a wall!"

Ravio couldn't help it – he burst out laughing. _Life's an adventure, for sure…_ "It doesn't surprise me that my mother is plotting something. Especially of late, in light of my situation."

"Ah. Well, I can't help you. I'm no use – I had to get advice myself."

"Some use you are." Ravio growled, half to himself. "It's ridiculous. I can't wrap my head around my feelings. And nothing I find seems to even have a clue to begin with! What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all. Look, Ravio…" the Shade sighed. "When I wrote that message, all those years ago, in the front page of my journal – I had no idea a thousand years would pass before history threw the kingdoms for a loop. I had no idea about the Triforce either."

His face contorted in confusion. "Message? Journal? What?"

The Shade smiled. "'A hero who wasn't'?"

"No freaking way. You're telling me I've just been conversing with my ancestor? This is seriously warped."

All he got was a grin in response. "You're telling me," was the reply. "See you when you need some more help, kid. Perhaps I can convince Vion to give you some training with that magic of yours."

The world faded in a dizzying blur before he could reply, and Ravio woke to find up the sunlight streaming through open drapes. He was still in the library. Crap, he was still in the library. The princess was going to kill him. He rose to his feet, shooting a glare at the open journal, which lay still and silent.

He groaned as he recalled the dream, and immediately felt like throwing the book across the room. He didn't have the time for this – the dead should leave the living alone, and mind their own business. "Ah, this is just great," he complained. "Not."

* * *

 **Okay, I better explain. I've always found the whole "Hero's Shade" a little grumpy. He doesn't even guide you properly ... and this is the Hero of Time we're talking about here. Like, the most experienced Bearer of Courage aside from probably *shrugs* all of them? C'mon!**

 **So I wanted Aviol and Ravio to interact more than the Shade in Twilight Princess does with wolf-boy. As in, actually have a decent conversation. Yes, Aviol is over a thousand years old. Deal with it! And who's this Vion, I wonder? (actually, I don't. I know who he is. XD) And, why can he give Ravio tips on his magic? Hmm. I'll leave you to puzzle it out.**

 ***sigh* Mothers. Won't they ever stop meddling? Not these two. Don't worry, they'll get what's coming to them... sometime during Part Two. There will be more Shade chapters!**

 **p.s Longest Author's Note since the introduction. Eep. *scurries off***


	13. Chapter 13

**So. Thirteen chapters isn't too bad for two months, is it? I should apologise for giving you this chapter today, but I had to update and... if I procrastinated any longer I wouldn't get nowhere. And I'm saying here and now - if you're not crying by the end of the next chapter, there's something wrong with you. It's just so sad!**

 **I'll stop hogging your attention and let you read.**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

It was late, as it always was when he did this sort of thing. He could hear a storm gathering on the mountain, punctuating his search with the occasional boom of thunder. Ravio stopped, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. It was hot in here, and even as he removed what armour he wore and peeled off his gloves, he knew it wouldn't help. It was just so humid.

That was why he was down in his basement. Over the past few months he'd taken to storing books beneath his house and with the weather the way it was it wasn't a good idea to continue the practice. Most of the books were so old they'd fall apart at the slightest sign of bad weather, and he'd shoot himself in the foot if he allowed that to happen. Well, figuratively, anyway. He'd have to deal with a fussy princess if he actually injured himself.

He was almost done when an elaborately bound volume caught his eye. From what he could see, the title was written in elegant glyphs so he guessed it was around a similar time period as the journals in the castle library. But what was it doing here? It didn't make any sense.

"Hmm…" he mused, picking it up and studying it. Yes, they were most definitely glyphs and his eyes flicked over the title with a frown; _'A Musician's Tale: The Diary of Hilda Lorealu'_. "Lorealu?"

Where had he heard that name before? It didn't sound foreign at all on his tongue; rather it was the familiarity of it that startled him. He knew it like he knew his own name. _Wait…_

His eyes narrowed as the words of his ancestor's Shade echoed in his mind. 'I knew a Hilda once.' Aviol had addressed the interrupting speaker as 'Miss Lorealu', and had failed miserably to keep his embarrassment from showing at her compliment. Oh, that little sneak!

Ravio ground his teeth as he exited the depths of his basement, carefully placing the precious journal in his satchel, before he slung it over his shoulder and grabbed his cloak from the hook where it usually was. He didn't care if it was past eight at night; he was going to the castle and showing it to the Princess.

Hilda blinked in surprise when Ravio's voice cut through the silence. It was rather late for him to be visiting, wasn't it? "Ravio?" she called, rising to her feet. "What's the matter?"

He slipped into the room, grimacing in disgust as he noticed what room it happened to be – Yuga's former study. "Princess, I've found the missing journal. And it raises just as many questions as it answers."

"What do you mean?" she asked quietly as he joined her by the desk.

Instead of answering directly, he pulled the volume out and pressed into her hands. Her jaw dropped as she read the title and he merely nodded as she turned to him, a question written in her eyes.

"Do you see now?" he whispered.

She had to swallow. "Your mother, sh-she must have known somehow. After all, she was the one who…"

"Yeah."

Hilda carefully opened the book, almost afraid that it would crumble to dust. "Have you read this?"

Ravio shook his head. "No, not yet. I left that the privilege to you. It seemed fitting."

She smiled at him, and flicked to a random entry. By chance, the volume fell open towards the middle of the book, and she began to read the shaky, tear smudged words.

 _'Aviol just told me what's happening back in Lorea. I pale at the thought that this is all my fault. This suffering is because of me. If only I'd given myself up instead of ran like I'd been ordered to. The people are crumbling beneath Illoe's will, places are burning and my friends are dying in whatever depraved, despicable way he can think of._

 _Goddess, he burned Aviol's remaining family_ _alive_ _. What sort of man does that? A madman? And though he won't tell me to my face, I overheard him mumble something about 'poison' to the Knight Commander. I heard my name as well… I cannot but help think of my parents. Oh, mother, father. What have I gotten you into? What have I_ _done_ _?_

 _I should never have trusted him, redhead or no. He looked at me like some sort prize to won, always praising my beauty, saying I'd make a lovely painting. I don't want to contemplate his meaning.'_

The book fell from her grip, and Princess Hilda felt bile rise in the back of her throat. "Gods," she gasped, clapping her hands over her mouth. "That's horrible."

Ravio took one look at her face, and then he was helping her sit down. Thank goodness, she wasn't sure if she could have stayed standing after reading something so… callous in regards to life. She gripped the desk with shaking fingers, and had to keep her gaze locked on him to prevent herself from being ill.

"What is it?" he murmured gently. "Was it something you read?"

"Y-yes," she whispered. "Who could do something like that? How could he just kill them? I don't understand,"

His hand stilled from where he'd been about to wipe away a tear that rolled down her face. "Who?"

"The painter – Illoe. He burned Aviol's family alive, Ravio. H-how? And my namesake… he poisoned her parents." She gulped down air – she was struggling to breath, and when she returned her gaze to her bodyguard's, he was like a statue. She didn't want to think of the possibilities. "Is that – is that what Yuga did?"

Ravio's eyes hardened and he placed his other hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. "I don't know." he admitted. "I was eight when my parents died. I-I always thought that it was my fault, that I had been the one to start the fire. The shame of my parents' murder hung over me like a shroud."

He closed his eyes, and loosed a breath. "But now, I realise I couldn't have. I was at a friend's, and by the time I reached the house… I was already too late. It was never me. I may have set things on fire every and now then, but I didn't hurt people. I just didn't have the mindset to deliberately hurt someone."

"Do you think…"

"Yes. Just the week before I'd rescued my friends from a young painter – torched his paintings and almost torched him, by accident, so they could escape. And if this true… that traitorous bastard is going to pay. He killed my parents out of _spite_." His voice broke on the final word and her heart along with it.

"My father died of a mysterious illness, and then a few months later, my mother died as well. The doctors thought it was due to heartbreak but I was never quite sure. Now I know I was right all along. That demented piece of crap poisoned the King and Queen, and then just nine years later tried to take the throne from me."

Ravio growled. "That's quite a list of charges he's got so far. And you know what? I'm not even going to tell you a Princess should mind her language. You're right."

"Two cases of treason; one of arson, four of murder - they're all punishable by death."

There was a change in his expression, and Hilda could see a fire start to burn in the depths of his eyes. He was silent for a long time before he straightened, reaching out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. His voice was soft as he leaned down, and gently brushed her tears away.

"One day, Princess," he murmured in her ear. "One day, he shall face trial and be charged with all the crimes he has committed. One day. It may not be tomorrow, it may not be next week. It could be in five years, or in twenty-five years. But know this: he will face judgement. We owe that to our families, we owe it to our kingdom. I made a promise, and I intend to keep it."

She ran her tongue over dry lips, fighting the urge which drew her to him like a nail to a magnet. "And what promise is this?"

He smiled sadly. "I cannot say."

Hilda could feel herself slipping. It felt like someone was trying to wriggle their way into her mind, and had almost succeeded. No, she corrected herself with a wince, had succeeded. She shoved the chair back, rising to her feet as a whimper of pain sliced through her. It hurt, and even as she fumbled for her anchor, she knew he'd won.

"Ravio…" she stretched out a hand, fresh tears threatening to spill over. "Help…"

He took a step towards her, brow furrowed in concern. "What is it?"

She could answer him with a sob as the magnitude of what Yuga had actually done hit her. No, he hadn't wanted the throne – that was just a bonus. He wanted to break her. All he did, he knew she would one day find out, and he knew her guilt would suffocate her. Just as it was now. "No..."

The world spun and she clutched at her head, grimacing. She was a failure of a ruler, a failure of a person. She might as well throw herself into a ravine for all the good she was doing. It would be better that way. Leave it all behind. Her kingdom was a ruin, and she'd come so close to having nothing to rule at all. What a fool she was.

She closed her eyes, forcing herself to ignore the tears that rolled down her face. "Go."

"What? Princess, I…" he sounded so confused, and that only made it worse.

"Go!" she pleaded. "I can't let you see me like this. Please, just go…"

"I'm sorry, I can't. That's why I have to stay."

The Princess of Lorule snapped. Yuga had beaten her – had broken her, and she knew he was laughing at her, wherever he was. It didn't matter. He'd won. The pain was jagged as the glass that flew in a hailstorm around her.

* * *

 **Sorry. I'm so sorry, Hilda. You too, Ravio. But it had to happen...It'll get better, I promise. I'm not a mean author. I don't do this deliberately. :(  
**

 **I'll go now.**


	14. Chapter 14

**So... I told prowessMaster44 I'd update yesterday, but no such luck. Work experience - hey, what do you know, working nine to five isn't so good for someone like me. And a bookworm really shouldn't work in a library. That's Author 366, for your information - I'm joking, I'm joking. I made it up.**

 **Have a sad-fluffy chapter. Excuse the cliche-ness.**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

She watched as if from a distance as she tore the framed portrait from the wall, effectively shattering the glass in the same movement. Hilda was aware of a dull pain, but it didn't actually hurt until she 'saw' she had shards of glass in her hands. What hurt more was the fact that Ravio had placed himself between her and the remains of the portrait; and to her dismay, she could only watch as she started screaming at him to leave her alone. What she doing? He was trying to protect her!

And though she tried to stop herself, she still slapped him. She slammed back into her body with a cry of shock, staring in horror at the bloody cuts on his face. Cuts which she left when she hit him.

"What have I done?" she whispered.

"Good thing it's only a painting, Princess," Ravio pipped up, trying his best to sound cheerful. "And Yuga's portrait at that. Now, if it had been your parents' royal portrait, I could understand. But Yuga's? Be grateful he's gone."

"Ravio, please. That's not helping in the slightest,"

He sighed, wiping the blood from his face. "Okay, even I'll admit that was a fail."

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-" she began, but he cut her off with a smile.

"It's okay, Princess. You were, and still are, in a state of shock. It does that to people."

She sniffled. "I-I guess."

"Can I burn the painting now?"

"No!" she snapped. "Not until I rip it to shreds!"

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"No, but I'm doing it anyway. I don't care!"

She stormed past him, grabbing the still-framed canvas in one hand, and a large piece of glass in the other. Her fingers twitched and trembled as she slashed the painted surface. Marring it forever. Again. And again.

"Princess, stop, I'm begging you." Ravio pleaded from behind her. She ignored him – what good would it do to stop when she was like this? If she stopped, the pain wouldn't go away. And if she continued, there was a chance it would. Yes, it was twisted logic, but that didn't matter. No, not now.

" _Hilda_ ,"

She froze. Ravio had just called her by name. Not 'Princess', 'Highness' or even 'Your Grace', but Hilda. He made it sound like the most beautiful name in the world. He made it sound like a song.

"Don't do this - you're hurting me, too. Just let me help you, please." His voice shook with raw emotion as he spun her around to face him, and she saw the glimmer of tears in his eyes.

She let out a hiss of pain as the shards of glass dug further into her palms. "Why?" she demanded. "Why did he want to break me? He almost did, Ravio, and he would have succeeded if you hadn't pulled me back."

He sighed. "I don't know." As he spoke, he pried her fingers open, gently and as carefully as he could, started to remove the glass. "But one thing; he won't be able to break you unless you let him. You've got to fight back. Put up walls - don't let him in. Get me to help you if you want."

She smiled. "I'd like that. Thank you, Ravio."

The smile he gave her in return spoke a thousand words. "No matter how bad it gets, you can call on me. I'll always be here for you. Night or day; rain or shine. You have my solemn oath as a son of the Narbitt line, and a descendant of the Hero of Lorule. I would give my life to you safe and well."

Her eyes burned with unshed tears, and to her shame, two slipped free. She hung her head, shoulders shaking as his words sunk in. She didn't deserve this kind of loyalty. She never had.

"Hey, hey, it's alright. Chin up." He slid a finger beneath her chin and tilted it up, studying her face. "Oh, Hilda. Ssh, it's okay now. I promise." The tenderness that laced his words made her cry all the more. He cared enough to put himself in danger, and she suspected he'd do it again, should it come to that.

"Damn Yuga," she hissed, eyes narrowing against the pain, both physical and emotional he'd inflicted upon her. "Damn him. Why did it take so long for the kingdoms to get thrown for a loop?"

He shrugged. "I've been asking that same question myself. I can't give you an answer. Now, these wounds need bandaging. Don't want them to get infected, do you?"

"Do I look like I can afford that? No, I don't."

Ravio chuckled. "Alright, alright. No need for the sarcasm."

He stepped away from her, turning and rummaging in his satchel for something. She watched in amusement as he dug around, pulling out all sorts of odds and ends. When he turned back to face her, he had a roll of linen bandages wrapped loosely around one hand, and a small pouch balancing delicately on top of it.

"What's in the pouch?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, you know; a small bottle of red potion, a needle and thread. Regular healer's equipment."

She had to giggle at his vagueness. "I had no idea you were qualified as a healer, Ravio. Is there anything you _can't_ do?"

"I'm not," he replied. "I just know it's a good idea to have medical supplies in case of an emergency. I discovered that after my trip to Death Mountain. Personally, I'm surprised I didn't permanently damage my ankle walking back."

The glare she gave him was half-hearted. "I think I had good reason to faint, thank you."

He smirked. "I never said anything about you fainting, Princess. I just answered your question."

"You're so confusing, you know that? Are you going to help me or not?" she demanded.

"Hold your horses. I need you to take your gloves off first. Surely you don't expect me to bandage those wounds with them on? That'd be a bit difficult I should think." he mused calmly, walking back over.

She rolled her eyes, but did as he instructed. "You're impossible," she grumbled.

He ran the index finger of his right hand over the marks on her palms, testing them. Her skin prickled, and it was all she could do not to snatch them back. "Good thing they aren't any deeper, or else I'd have to knock you out to put the stitches in. That's a relief."

"I'd hate to put you in such a position," she deadpanned.

"Oh, hush, you. I've got to concentrate, and I can't if you're talking. You'll distract me," he muttered, opening the pouch. He pulled out the bottle of potion and a cloth, uncorking the bottle, before dabbing the liquid onto the fabric.

She couldn't help but smile. "I'm distracting, am I?"

"Ssh,"

The tip of his tongue poked out the side of his mouth as he focused on his work, and he looked so adorable that she bit her lip in the effort not to do something rash. Like kiss him. Wait, what? Where had that come from? She didn't want to kiss him… _did_ she?

To her embarrassment, she fell asleep while he worked. When he picked her up to carry her to her chambers, she subconsciously snuggled further into his grasp, making him freeze. However, he kept going after getting over his shock, singing his favourite song…

Hilda woke to gentle darkness, and a worried Ravio watching her from his seat next to her. "Evening," she whispered.

"Evening, Princess." The formality in his tone made her heart sink. It was like the last few hours had never happened.

"Ravio… why?"

He was silent, and when he spoke, his voice was hoarse, as if he'd been crying.

"It wasn't necessarily the smart thing, it was the right thing. I did it because it secretly broke my heart to see you like that. 'Cause I care so much for my ruler, my best friend, my only friend. She's so broken and lost right now; I cannot let her fall any further into the dark. Everything I've ever done for Lorule, it was more for my princess than anyone else. I might be a coward, Hilda, but I know what's right and what's wrong. I couldn't let that power-hungry magician tear you apart anymore."

She could only watch in bewilderment as he stood, and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Outside, Ravio heard the door click shut, and quietly rushed home, the storm swallowing him up as the rain fell in sheets around him. The door to his house slammed behind him as he flung himself on his bed, and finally, mercifully, burst into tears.

 **Ravio calls Hilda by name? Oh, finally! Know, I'll see/hear/read you guys next update.**

 **Bye!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Thanks to: CittyKatYuki and Lord Zigzagquaza for the favourite; khr1410, CittyKatYuki, Winter Arctica, Nentendo Girl106734 and Zeldageek726 for the follow, and to Zeldageek726 again for the review. Hearfelt thanks to you all!**

 **Chapter Fifteen. And another Shade chapter. Yipee! I'll just let you read it.**

* * *

A voice drew out him out of a feverish state, and he opened his eyes. "Thank Hylia." Aviol muttered, relieved. "You scared me. You alright, kid?"

Ravio sat up, and almost hit the ground as a wave of dizziness washed over him. "No," he grunted. "Feel like I'm going to throw up. Ugh, that was too close. I almost lost her."

The Shade looked at his hands. "I'm sorry she had to find out like that. The news practically broke her. You did a good job, though."

"He did, didn't he?" Hilda Lorealu's voice floated ahead of her as she glided into the light. The resemblance to the current ruler of Lorule was astonishing – the Princess' hair was darker, closer to a violet than a lilac or lavender like the musician's was, and her eyes were lighter, but for all he knew they could have been related.

Ravio gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand. "I'd give you the proper due, Miss Lorealu, but I'm afraid I'd faceplant if I tried."

She laughed. "Not to worry, child. Your words are enough. Aviol, Vion's supposed to be here. Have you seen him?"

"Not since two days ago, Hilda. He's probably moping."

"You know why."

He rubbed a hand over his face and sighed. "I shouldn't have asked. But I had to."

"Oh, so you had to ask, did you?" Another person entered the space, and Ravio met angry burgundy eyes beneath a mop of black hair. "Just to help some kid correct his life and that of his _princess'_?"

Ravio narrowed his eyes. "I advise you shut up."

"And like you can tell me what to do."

"Vion!" Aviol snapped, surging to his feet. "Don't you _dare_!"

A cruel smirk. "Oh, I dare alright, father. I mean, the princess could have died, and whose fault would it have been? His!"

Ravio closed his eyes, lip peeling back in a snarl. He had a pounding headache, and he really didn't need, nor want, to relive the evening's events. "Shut. Up," he ground out.

"And what if she had died? He would be responsible! He would die alongside her, leaving the kingdom in the painter's grasp. They would die. And suppose she loved him? What guilt he would bear!"

Ravio glared at the seething Shade, cold fury igniting his magic. "Do not speak of things you don't understand, _Vion_. There are two things you simply cannot do with me: curse my family, and curse my princess. And you just crossed the line."

"What line? I don't see any," Vion replied, scoffing at him.

" _I said, SHUT UP!_ " His voice was nothing short of a roar, and Vion stumbled. Ravio slammed his fist into the ground, knocking the Shade off his feet with a wave of white-hot fire. He could hardly see for the golden glow blanketing his vision as he strode towards the horrified Shade. He grabbed him by the shirt, fixing him with a look of pure hatred as he tossed him into the wall. "If you speak of the Princess of Lorule in such a way again, I won't be so lenient. Consider yourself warned, Vion Narbitt _._ "

"L-leni-ent?!" Vion stammered; his eyes wide with terror. "What in the Dark Realm do you call harsh, then?"

Ravio's grin would have terrified a shark. "You don't want to know," he replied, and punched him in the jaw. Vion's eyes rolled back into his head, and as Ravio let him go, he slumped to the ground, unconscious. Aviol whistled in amazement, staring at his descendent in shock.

"Goddess, Ravio!" he exclaimed. "That was insane. How did you…"

The former merchant shook his head in disgust. "I told him. I told him, and he wouldn't listen. I just snapped, I guess."

"There is no need to apologise," Hilda added softly. "Family he may be, but even family deserves a shock every now and then. You are more powerful than he ever was, Triforce of Courage, or not. The fires of your bloodline have burned in containment for centuries of time. You will not be the last, my son. There is one more yet to come…"

"There is?" Aviol muttered; a look of surprise on his face.

"There is. A daughter."

"No daughter has ever had the gift of the flames! It's unheard of!"

Ravio smiled. "It's possible," he murmured. "You've just got to play your cards right."

Aviol glared at him. "Oh, hush, you. If I didn't know any better I'd swear you pair were conspiring against me."

He chuckled. "How do you know we're not?"

"Alright, stop. You say things like that and then you really do sound like her. It's not funny."

He stuck his tongue out in a childish response. "I never said it was."

"Boys, boys, stop. I wasn't finished," she admonished gently.

"Sorry," they chorused.

"So you ought to be. But yes, Ravio is right. The possibility is there, and I'd say it's a pretty good playing hand. I guess Lady Hylia had one more surprise in store for us, because her children are in for a shock."

"Electric?" Ravio quipped.

"No, no, no, Ravio. Nothing like that. What I meant was…" she shook her head, smiling to herself. "You know the tales as well I do regarding the Hyrulean bearers of Wisdom and Courage."

He hummed his agreement, smirking to himself. "That I do."

She rolled her eyes. "Should the daughter come around, there will also be a switch-up in the Hyrulean bearers. Courage will bear Wisdom, and Wisdom will bear Courage. And they will be siblings."

"Sibling royals? How interesting. Any specifics?"

She studied him, head titled to one side in a way that reminded him of the Princess. "I did not know they would be royalty. How did you know? But Wisdom shall be both a diplomat and a warrior; Courage will have a rebel heart."

"Uh-huh." He laced his fingers behind his head, still smirking. "You could say I took an … educated guess."

"Based on what? Or whom, rather?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Why, Miss Lorealu, I should think you would know. The current bearers of said Hyrulean Wisdom and Courage, based on my own observations, and those of a cupid-ish Gerudo witch."

"He's not wrong there," Aviol confirmed, smiling.

"I'm not? Oh, goodie. I'd best go, hadn't I?"

And he woke to snow falling past his window. Oh joy, joy, joy. Winter was here. That meant he could do what he'd been planning for weeks. Score!

* * *

 **Why did Vion go off his head like that? Hmmm... I shall leave you to wonder. And what's this? Prophecy? Squee! hehehehehe...**

 **Bye!**

 **\- Familiar.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen. Winter's arrived in Lorule, and you know what that means. Blizzards, snowball fights and more fluff from our favourite Lorulean not-couple. Enjoy~**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

Hilda blew on her hands absentmindedly as she watched Ravio pace a carpeted area of the throne room. Winter had arrived with a vengeance, and it was taking great delight in picking on her. Her bodyguard wore his scarf and gloves for effect only – his magic heated his blood and provided a pleasant layer of insulation. Not everyone had such a luxury, however. Her included.

Half the population were huddled inside the shelter of the castle, sitting around larges hearth-fires and big cauldrons of soup. The rest were making their way to the castle through the random and vicious blizzards, which struck without warning. This meant, however, that a few brave – and foolish, as she often reminded him – souls had to guide the stragglers through the snow. Namely, the princess and her bodyguard. But that wasn't what had her worried.

There had been no sign of the young Octoballers so far, and Ravio was getting increasingly antsy. He kept moving around the castle, going from window to window to scan the pristine landscape. Those kids were his friends, so of course he was worried. But they were also the next generation of leaders and innovators and therefore twice as important. Below the dais, Ravio turned on his heel and checked the window for the fifth time in the half hour, running his hands through his hair. Sighing, she stood and descended the steps, heavy woolen skirts swaying as she walked.

"Ravio," she admonished gently, "For the love of Naryu, stop pacing. It's not going to help."

"What is?" he retorted. "It's not like you'll let me go out there alone. And I can't send a search party, it's too dangerous. Why must I do everything _myself_?"

She ran a hand over her face tiredly. "You don't have to. I'm worried too – what do you want me to do?" she asked.

He removed his scarf, running it through his fingers. "Come with me. Between the two of us, if something goes wrong, we'll be able to handle it."

She shivered. "I don't know if you realise, but not everyone around here is as lucky as you. We don't all have your magic, Ravio. And winter doesn't particularly like me very much."

"I know," As he spoke, he removed his thick gloves, and gently tugged them over her bandaged hands. "That's why I want you to have these. And my scarf too. You'll be a bit warmer that way."

She blinked in surprise as he looped his scarf around her neck. "Why, thank you. That's very sweet of you."

"Just doing my job. Now, come on, Princess. I want to get going as soon as this blizzard dies down."

Soon she was following him out into the snow, boots crunching into the powdery softness. Everything was a variety of blue and white all except the vibrant splashes of purple as they moved. Due to the stark contrast with their surroundings it wasn't long before she spotted a flicker of orange ducking behind a snowbank. She opened her mouth to shout a warning as a projectile sailed towards the back of Ravio's head, but it was too late. The snowball connected, and her bodyguard let out a startled yelp.

"Who was that?" he demanded, spinning around. She could only point as a cyan coloured head appeared above the mound of snow, cheering in triumph. Her companion's green eyes narrowed, and he bent down, scraping a handful of snow together and throwing it. He had impressive aim, she had to admit – the snowball went exactly where he wanted it to. The kid's face.

All too soon, there was a full blown fight in the works. She could only watch, however, as joining in something like a snowball fight was far too undignified for a princess. Why did Ravio get to have all the fun? It wasn't fair! She buried her face in the scarf around her neck, breathing in the familiar and comforting scent that clung to it. It smelled like old books, tea and the forest. Like spices, ash and sunshine - it smelled like home. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she knew she was smiling, but she didn't care.

Her ears twitched and she stretched out her hand, stretched out her magic. Everything around her was a symphony of notes, a wild, chaotic melody. Songs tugged at the edges of her mind, and she just stood there, amazed. So this was the magic the land lived off. Music. How curious. Someone laughed behind her, and her vision rippled with the sound. Here and there bright hints of light weaved themselves into the fabric of magic around her – light so golden, so pure that if she didn't have her eyes shut she would have done so.

It was then that the snowball hit her in the back of the head. Her eyes flew open, and she turned slowly, trying not to laugh at the shocked murmurs of the two Octoballers. 'He hit the Princess', huh? Well, there was only person who would even have the nerve to consider it. "Ravio Narbitt," she chuckled, eyes sparkling. "Did you throw that snowball which hit me in the head just then?"

He shrugged, giving her a familiar cheeky grin. "Who else do you think would have thrown it, Princess?"

"Confound it. I don't care anymore." Flicking her wrist, she compacted together a sizeable amount of snow with her magic, and tossed it into the air, judging the balance and weight. "Hey, it's not perfect, but it'll do."

Ravio swallowed, taking an uncertain backwards. "For what, may I ask?"

She chuckled. "Why, returning the favour, of course! Did you honestly think I'd let you get away with it?"

"I can always … hope…" His face paled, and he tried to take another step back. "Oh. I'm not getting away with this, am I?"

There was a mischievous, impish grin on her face. "No, you're not. Ravio? Eat snow."

 _Splat!_

When they eventually got back to the castle, it was nearly dusk. She sighed in relief as she watched the two missing citizens scamper off to explore the castle, and didn't protest as Ravio herded her up the stairs towards her chambers. She was exhausted. And they both knew it.

Shivering at the chill wind that nipped at her nose and ears, the same wind that tapped its fingers against her bare skin, Hilda curled up in a massive armchair in front of the hearth. She hated winter. Green eyes watched her with concern, and she gave her companion a weak smile. He frowned, pausing in his task of getting a fire going in the hearth, and stepped over to her.

"Are you alright, Princess? You don't look too good,"

"It's just the season, Ravio. I was never particularly fond of winter."

He nodded reluctantly, and with a snap of his fingers, had a fire fill her chambers with light. It was strange that she couldn't feel the heat of it when she was sitting next to it. But she didn't dwell on it.

The fragrant smell of tea shook her out of her dazed state, and she looked around to find Ravio removing the steaming teapot from the fire. He smiled, hefting the pot in his hands. "Tea, Princess?"

She nodded. "Yes, thank you. That would be lovely."

He quickly poured them both a cup, leaving the pot on the sideboard as he crossed the room and held one out to her. "Here. This should help."

She took it, cradling it gently in her hands. "You're a Goddess-send, Ravio."

Smiling to himself, he took the chair opposite her, taking a sip of his tea. He closed his eyes, humming in delight. "Nah. I'm just me. But this tea sure is sweet – just the way I like it."

Hilda took a sip of her own, and had to agree with him. The sweeter it was; the better. "You put cinnamon in this, didn't you? I can smell it."

Ravio opened one eye, fixing her with his vibrant gaze. "That I did. Why? You gotta problem with sugar and spice?"

"No, not all. The sweeter something is, the more I enjoy it. And this tea is sublime."

He laughed at that. "Well now, Princess Hilda, I shall have to remember."

She had to smile at the way her name fell from his lips. It sounded so gentle, like a whispered word of comfort. And yet… she suppressed a shiver at the thought. And yet, it sounded like a caress. The number of unspoken things that hung between them astounded her, and for some reason she was content to leave things as they stood. They each depended on the other – he needed her to keep in the present. She needed him to keep her from falling. It worked. Why change it over a hunch?

As Ravio left her chambers that evening, she couldn't help but smile. Perhaps she didn't hate winter after all… not if it could bring her days like these, moments like that. Maybe she would see what the snow would bring.

 _Maybe... maybe by tomorrow...tomorrow... the snow is gonna blow._

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 **So... what do you think? What's your favourite quote in the chapter? Please, do tell. This is the part were I kindly remind all readers that a review would be more than welcomed. And more views, too. I'm a view hungry little Chuchu.  
**

 **See ya next Chapter!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Over a** **thousand** **views in October alone! Squee! Thank you, all! Chapter Seventeen already? Wow. More ghostly fun! And more fun coming along soon, too. Perhaps a kiss or two ~ ;) Maayybe?  
**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

It was just your normal Lorulean winter day, within degrees of freezing. It mightn't have been normal for some, since this was the harshest winter in recorded memory, but at least there had been no causalities yet. Ravio was a bit disappointed that the blacksmith wasn't on the causalities list, and when he voiced the thought, Hilda was horrified, and proceeded to ignore him for the rest of the day. Well, she tried, anyway. It didn't work – especially when he set fire the drapes in the library by deliberate 'accident'.

The next day, when two familiar Hyruleans entered Lorule Castle, they found a very worried Ravio pacing outside the doors to the throne room. He didn't even look up as they approached; just kept his eyes on the ground, constantly running his hands through his hair. Only when Link cleared his throat did he see them, and he scowled.

"Oh, this is just great. It's you pair again. Can this day get any worse?"

Link frowned, folding his arms. "Hey, what did we ever do to you?" he demanded.

He huffed in exasperation. "Oh, I don't know, maybe flip my world on its head?" he scoffed. "No, wait that was Aviol's Shade. Stupid ghost almost caused Hilda to lose the plot."

"Shade? Ghost? Ravio, are you okay? I'm pretty sure Yuga responsible for your Princess' state of mind, not some dead guy." Zelda pointed out as gently as she could.

The Lorulean's face contorted in true pain, and he started crying, much to their shock. "Yuga. What I'd give to turn that guy into a pile of ash. Kill him like he _killed my parents_. Or maybe I can _poison_ him instead and then roast him slowly?" he muttered.

"What are you talking about it? Please don't tell me you've gone insane, too. Because that's great news for _me_ ," Link responded sarcastically. Wrong move, Link. Wrong move.

"I'm not insane! Yuga's insane! What sort of person _kills out of spite?_ And then poisons two of the most important people in the kingdom just to _MESS_ with their daughter's head? He killed them _all,_ Link! _All of them! The King, the Queen, my PARENTS!_ "

He was laughing hysterically now, and both Hyruleans backed away from him. They had every reason to – he was scary like this. Wiping at his eyes, Ravio continued, heedless of his laughter. "And just because I burned his precious paintings, too. I don't care anymore!"

"Ravio?" Hilda's soft voice queried as she opened the door. "Ravio, what's wrong?" Upon seeing the state he was in, she stepped through, shutting the door behind her. "What happened?"

"Um… I think I said something I shouldn't have, and it set him off," Link confessed.

She swore. "Dammit, Link! This isn't something you mess with whenever you want. What did you say?"

The Hero was sweating nervously, eyes flicking between his counterpart and the miffed Lorulean princess. "I may or may not have called him insane."

"You did _what_ now? Were you even listening to what he just _told you_?" she exploded.

Zelda groaned, burying her head in her hands. "Goddesses, I don't need this. Will someone please, please, please explain what's going on?"

Someone sighed. _Honestly? You Hyruleans can't figure it out for yourselves'? If I could, I'd clout Ucheriah or Lincoln over the head. Then again, neither of them were ever the historian type._

"Who are you? And what does being a historian have to do with any of this?" Zelda demanded.

A woman appeared in their midst, form shimmering around the edges. From this, it was easy to deduce that she was a ghost. No, wait, what the term Ravio used? Shade? Maybe she was one of those? Zelda didn't have a clue, if she were honest.

 _I am Queen Agatha, founding member of the Lorulean monarchy. I wasn't supposed to be here today, but when you have royalty and a member of the Narbitt family scheming ways to get their children together… it can be rather frustrating._

That seemed to snap Ravio out of his daze, and he growled. "You know, if my mother wasn't already a Shade, I'm pretty sure I would have killed her by now. Meddlesome even in death."

Poor Hilda looked so confused it wasn't even funny. "What do you mean? Am I missing something here?"

Queen Agatha shrugged. _Your mother, Queen Ophelia, my dear, is a Shade. Like your namesake, her husband and their son. Unfortunately for you and your bodyguard, Lorelai Narbitt is also a Shade. And boy is she plotting. Much to Aviol's frustration._

Ravio sighed. "And my embarrassment, you might add."

Link chuckled evilly. "What's this about, Ravio? You got a crush on your princess?"

His counterpart glared at him. "Shut up. You aren't one to talk."

The old queen laughed. _Says the one who finds his princess – how shall I put this? – distracting. And shall I mention her thoughts at the time? She wanted to-_

"No!" Hilda burst out, clapping her hands over her mouth. "Don't tell them _that_!"

"I hate ghosts," Ravio grumbled. "They just love to make our lives a misery."

The Queen rolled her eyes. _My apologies. It's not like we can particularly go 'haunt' someone else, we only stick around, as I'm sure Aviol told you, Ravio, to give advice to those who come after us. Although I'm pretty sure Vion would love to go haunt Hyrule – it'd mean he can, ahem, chase after another ghost. If you know what I mean._

 _AGATHA!_

Ravio winced, covering his ears. "…And that was Vion. He sounds mad. As usual. Oh boy."

Hilda giggled. "I have a feeling you have a lot to tell me about these Shades, Ravio. They sound like real characters. Hmm, that reminds me. Your Majesty, will you be staying? I'm sure we could learn many things from you."

Agatha shook her head. _Afraid not, Princess. I'll be seeing you soon again, anyway. Hehe… ta-ta!_

She gave them all a wave and quite promptly … disappeared. Link and Zelda stared at the place where she'd been standing, feeling even more than they were to begin with. Cryptic, fickle beings the dead are. They just love riddles.

Ravio sighed. "So…" he began, smiling sheepishly. "What have you been up to?"

"The usual. I've been annoying the guards, getting mad at Osfala, pranking Irene and Gulley… and kissing Zelda." Link admitted with a blush.

Hilda bounced, grinning. "Ohmygoodness, are you for real? Zel, has he really?!"

Ravio chuckled, smirking. "You know it's not very proper for a commoner to kiss a princess, right?"

"He's not a commoner," the blonde replied hotly, glaring at him. "He's a knight, and the General of the Hyrulean army, thank you very much!"

"I mean, I don't see what's so amusing," Link retorted. "It's not like you've haven't kissed your princess or anything. Yet."

Ravio froze. "Ah… Oh, shut up, Link. I wasn't asking for your opinion."

Zelda sighed. "Okay, okay. We can talk, but please, can we find somewhere else to do so? I'm dying to rant to someone about the hopelessness of a certain white-haired Sage."

Hilda pushed open the door. "Go on in, Zelda. We're all right behind you."

Link scowled. "Why won't you let me throw him in the dungeon for harassment of royalty, Zel? The least you could do is let me drop a rock on his head."

"LINK! You'll do no such thing!" It was fair to say to Zelda was horrified.

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 **See you next time! And don't forget to leave a review, fave or follow, if you liked it! Thanks!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Eighteen. Hilda gets her Triforce! And there's another revelation which isn't ... quite as pleasant. I just want to thank those who favourited, reviewed and followed over the last fortnight, because as always, it helps. And a special shout-out to the user who sent a PM apologising for not reading lately. You know who you are! ;)**

 **Enjoy!**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

Hilda fiddled with her gloves, listening patiently to the conversation being held around the table in Yuga's former office. She could feel the shadows around her leering, laughing at her misfortune. And she wanted out – she couldn't take it. Cruel – invisible - hands clutched at her throat, squeezing the life from her and she gasped for air as she stumbled to her feet. Her crown dug into her forehead, seeming to grow tighter and tighter with every breath.

Spots danced in front of her eyes, forcing her to shut them. She heard someone round the table, coming to a stop in front of her. They lifted her crown from her head, before tucking her hair away from her face. Then Ravio's voice sounded next to her ear, making her sigh in relief.

"Breathe, Hilda. Just breathe. It's okay – I've got you."

"It won't stop," she hiccupped, tearing up. "It won't stop, Ravio."

His arms encircled her waist, drawing her closer to him. "I know. I know," he murmured.

She buried her face in his chest, feeling him tighten his grip on her. She felt safer, but the feeling wouldn't go away, even when he started rubbing her back to calm her. The motion was soothing, but she was too shaken to fully relax. Their counterparts were silent, understanding that was more to what was going on than it seemed. Well, it appeared that way until Zelda asked Ravio explain what was going on.

He sighed, releasing Hilda from the hug, and turned to face the Hyrulean princess. "This would be the second time she's had an anxiety attack. The first time, heh … it didn't go down so well."

Hilda rolled her eyes. "That's putting it mildly. I destroyed Yuga's portrait and in the process almost destroyed myself. I still have the scars to prove it."

Stepping backing, she removed her gloves, letting them fall to the floor before marching over to her counterpart. Unwinding the thin layer of linen bandage, she tossed it over her shoulder and held her palm out for her fellow princess to examine.

Zelda bit her lip at the sight of the numerous scars, and even Link, who probably had more scars than anyone else there, blinked in surprise. "Whoa. Where you'd get them?" he asked incredulously.

"From the glass. I shattered it in order to get to the canvas – not my finest moment, I can tell you."

"Uh-huh. That'd go up in the list along with stealing a Triforce, I suppose." The Hyrulean general mused.

It took a lot of effort not to face-palm, but she did it. "Yes, Link, I suppose so."

He winced. "Me and my big mouth – I've been hanging around Irene too much."

She shrugged. "The best of us begin the climb after the fall. The journey of reformation is hard; but we are determined to better ourselves – we all have something to prove, after all."

Ravio opened his mouth to say something, but could only gape as a golden light flashed; solidifying on the back of Hilda's left hand. An answering glow made him yank his right glove off, a slow smile spreading across his face.

"Looks like I was right after all."

"What?" she demanded. "How can I have the Triforce of Wisdom? This doesn't make any sense!"

Zelda smiled. "It does, actually. You're my counterpart; and of royal descent. The Triforce could go to you alone."

"I think you're incorrect, Princess." Ravio replied. "The last bearer of Wisdom was the Musician; Hilda Lorealu. Very much a partner in crime to Aviol Narbitt; and as one of their descendants, it could have also gone to me. Just saying. This is only a theory, of course, but I couldn't help notice that Queen Agatha had green eyes. There's only family in Lorulean history that had eyes that colour, and that's mine."

Hilda was flabbergasted. "But… what about the Musician?"

He chuckled. "She had red eyes – she's not your namesake for nothing. Dark, dark red eyes. Her hair was lighter though, more of a lavender than a violet."

"And her son?" Zelda asked.

"Vion? Burgundy eyes, black hair. I can't forget his attitude, either. There's something seriously bothering the guy. He provoked me and I nearly snapped him in half."

"Sweet Mother Naryu! Are you for real?" Hilda gasped. "Ravio!"

He spread his hands in way of answer, grimacing. "Well, he shouldn't have said what he did. Talking about the ways in which you'd be responsible for your Princess' death is not the way to get on my good side."

"You have a bad side? Sheesh, if it's anything like mine, I don't want to be in the room." Link commented.

His eyes gleamed. "Put it this way, Link. You provoke me at the wrong time, and I'll make Ganon look like a pushover."

Everyone gulped at the thought. That wouldn't be an easy feat by any means. Although, Ravio did have the Triforce of Courage, and his magical ability was incredible. Put those together and you'd get a bigger explosion than a Death Mountain eruption.

He would be on equal footing with Yuga at full power, and that was without activating his Triforce. Not even Link could manage a fight like that – he'd barely walked out of his final Yuganon battle alive. It made you realise just how powerful Ravio really was.

He had multiple theories on the subject, ensnared as it was within his kingdom's history, but they were just theories. He knew some things, but not enough compile the whole picture. It both frustrated him and intrigued him. There were just too many pieces missing.

"Hang on." Zelda cut in, eyes widening in alarm. "If Hilda has Wisdom, and you have Courage, Ravio, who has the Triforce of Power? I know Ganon had Power but…"

Link swore. "Yuga merged with Ganon. If I'm right, then we're in big trouble."

Ravio growled. "Yuga's a freaking nutcase. You're right, and we _are_ in big trouble. Because he's not done yet."

"You're sure?"

"Dead sure, Mr. Hero. And having a Triforce piece each just makes both Hilda and I a bigger magnet than we already were."

This was bad. Dark realm, it was worse than bad. It was a nightmare, and it wasn't going to be over any time soon. This was an ongoing struggle than was going to take years, if not decades off their lives. No one it was going to be easy, because they knew it wasn't about to be.

* * *

 **Next chapter: more secrets. Yes, more. Don't worry, it's funny how they find out. And I'm all saying is there might be a kiss (or two). That's aalll you need to know.**

 **Bye!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Number: Nineteen. Wow. I can't believe we're this far already. First of all, though, I want to thank those reviewers who have done so recently, and since I can't do so anywhere else, I'll thank the two Guests who reviewed:**

 **The Shy Potato: Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying it! And yes, I'm aware I occasionally miss a word (I always mean to fix it, but I never do. *sigh*)**

 **Guest: ;) You're right - the whole confusing 'mess' of ancestors is a plot point, but the answers are coming soon, so I don't need to worry about it too much. A flow chart is a good idea, though! Thanks for that!**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

Hilda glared at the book in front of her, fighting the urge to hurl it across the room. "This is pointless."

It was a few weeks after she'd discovered her Triforce and she was sitting front of her hearth, curled up in one of her massive armchairs, reading. A cup of tea balanced half way to her mouth, and she eyed the stack of books next to her in distaste – a stack she was slowly, painstakingly getting through. Most of which had been written by a member of the Narbitt family at one point or another. There were notes in the margins, comments, corrections - the whole kit and caboodle. It was really rather interesting.

That didn't mean it couldn't get frustrating. Ravio's family just loved a good riddle or three or four or five, and the book she just happened to be reading was _full_ of the things. It was like reading poetry the way they were composed; and these particular riddles were so … "Complex. Why must these darn things be so Din-forsaken complex?" she complained.

"It's in part of who the Narbitts are as a family, Princess. We're complicated."

Hilda jumped, nearly spilling hot tea all over the book. She sent a brittle glare in the direction of her bodyguard, who chuckled, walking over and sinking into the chair opposite. "Don't do that!" she scolded him, putting her tea-cup to one side. "You scared me!"

He grinned. "Ah, can't be helped. Your reactions are just so … adorable."

She looked away, attempting to hide her reaction behind a curtain of hair. "Shut up," she mumbled. "You're making me blush."

She could feel him smirking. "Tsk, tsk, Princess. Bold, much? Admitting to such a thing is not good for your health."

If she hadn't been so embarrassed, she would have growled at him. "You're not good for my health, you idiot. And I still put up with you."

"You don't have a choice, I'm afraid. You just gotta live with me."

"I do, do I? I'm a princess, remember?" she retorted.

"Ouch. Okay, don't pull that one on me. Besides, I'm the holder of the Triforce of Courage. You can't exactly … get rid of me."

"I can't?" Feigned innocence.

His voice dropped an octave or two, and shivers danced up her spine. "No, you can't."

Hilda forced herself to swallow. She knew it wasn't just her - the room was a bit stuffy, but she wanted to open a window. Winter or not, it was smothering her. Oh, who was she kidding? She knew it wasn't the room. It was the scamp sitting across from her. He was looking rather smug, confound him, and she just wanted to hit him for it.

"Jerk."

Ravio raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, was that directed at me?" he asked.

"Well, it's not like it was directed at anyone else, now, is it?" she snapped back.

He shrugged. "You could have been referring to Yuga,"

She rolled her eyes, turning back to face him. "No, Ravio. If I had been referring to Yuga, I would have said psychopathic moron. Not jerk. Happy?"

Ravio snickered. "As I was saying, my family are complicated. It would seem the older the family member the more complicated, but Miss Lorealu is very confusing when she wants to be. Her clairvoyance doesn't exactly help, I suppose. Prophecies and all that, y'know."

"So if she's my namesake, does that mean I'm confusing, too?"

"Absolutely. Absolutely yes."

She hummed in delight. "So I'm confusing; and I'm distracting. What else, may I ask?"

"You're stubborn, independent and opinionated," As he spoke, he listed each quality off on his fingers; and she had to laugh at his enthusiasm. So much like the kid his mother told tall tales about. "Not to mention easily irritated, a complete rebel … oh, and yeah, you're so beautiful it hurts to look at you."

She carefully set the teacup aside, noticing the way her hands shook. "Shut up, idiot. I didn't ask for flattery."

He smirked wickedly. "Is that what you think it is? Oh no, sweetheart. I'm being entirely honest – because it's true. You don't know how hard it is to keep my dignity; especially when I want to do to some very, very stupid things."

"You and me both."

"Oh? Like what?" So simple a question, yet the words jammed themselves in her throat. She shook her head helplessly.

His eyes narrowed, expression shifting as he rose. She watched nervously as he approached her, being very deliberate about the way he moved. Biting her lip, she squeaked in surprise as he pulled her to her feet, book tumbling to the ground. The near predatory look in his eyes made her breath catch, and she swallowed.

"R-ravio, what are you doing?"

He smiled grimly. "Getting answers, Princess."

The way her title left his lips gave her shivers, and it wasn't because she was cold. In fact, she was as warm as she'd ever been. A faint golden light resonated from the back of her hand due to his proximity, and her eyes widened as she realised just how close he was. Oh Farore.

She had to close her eyes. This was happening all too fast, and she licked her lips nervously. It wasn't so much a habit as a … reaction. When she spoke, her voice was barely a whisper, and even then it came out hoarse. "And what answers may they be, Ravio Narbitt?"

Her eyes flew open again as her back hit the wall. She didn't even know they'd been moving, and now… Now she was in a position she wasn't exactly comfortable with. The sensation of Ravio's breath so close to her ear that it was giving her goosebumps. "So... Princess, tell me... the answer?" His voice was a rasping growl, raw and uncontrolled.

She smirked, running her fingers along the exposed skin of her captor's forearms. He bit his lip hard enough to draw blood, letting out a breathy sigh. "I don't know, Master Narbitt. You tell me."

Ravio lowered his hand from where it rested above her head, fingers brushing through her hair, and down her spine. Her back arched in surprise at the electric jolt that coursed through her, and she gasped.

"The answer?"

Her fingers continued their path up his arms, then along his shoulders, 'til her hands rested at the base of his neck. Completely unable to stop herself by now, she let her hands wander into his hair, eyes drifting shut.

Goddesses, it was so thick, like thatch, but so ... soft. Like silk, or velvet. Black velvet. "If you haven't figured it out by now, Ravio, then you really are an idiot."

He chuckled. "Daredevil."

She grinned. He shifted position, and she felt him slide a finger under her chin, tilting her head up. "Smart-alec."

He laughed, and the sound echoed in her ears. She sucked in a breath, and he mirrored the action. Strands of hair brushed her cheek, and she opened her eyes to find Ravio leaning forwards. He met her questioning gaze, and smiled.

"So. Do I get my reward?"

She giggled. "It depends on the reward, Master Narbitt. What were you thinking of?"

He hummed thoughtfully. "I don't know. What were you thinking of?"

She bit the inside of her cheek. "You know they say it's improper for a princess to kiss a commoner, right?"

Ravio smirked. "Uh-uh, Princess. I'm no commoner. I come from a bloodline as long and as old as yours'. I must say, though, I wouldn't mind either way."

"I should hope not," she murmured. His eyes closed as he leaned closer still, and Hilda sighed, fingers tightening their grip on his hair. She felt her own eyes shut, and shivered as Ravio drew her closer to him, right hand pressed against the small of her back.

She hesitated momentarily, allowing him to place a tender kiss on the tip of her nose. Something ignited in her, and she guided his head down to her's. Their noses brushed, sending a thrill through her, and just when she was sure that she was going to get a kiss, the door to the throne room slammed in the distance.

Ravio groaned in disappointment, pulling back to glance over his shoulder. "Really? Now, of all times?" he complained. "This better be good."

The veteran's voice echoed in the confines of the stone walls. "Oi, Ravio! We got a situation with the captain in town, and we need your help!"

He sighed, and she untangled her fingers from his hair regretfully. "Are you sure we can't ignore him?" she asked.

He shook his head, reluctantly releasing her from his hold. "I'm sure. I swear I'm going to wring that damned drunkard's neck."

"Ravio?" The veteran called. "That fool decided to start a brawl, and someone's going to kill him soon."

Another groan, and then he was striding to the door. "I'm coming!" he grumbled. "I'm coming!"

"Have fun, Ravio!" she teased, making her way back to her chair and sitting down.

He stopped with the door half shut, looking in at her with a smirk. "Oh, Princess?" he asked, nearly singing the words.

Her eyes narrowed. "What?" she demanded.

"You're drooling." The door shut as she hurled a nearby book at it, and she could hear him laughing as he headed off to deal the captain. Jerk. Total, utter, adorable jerk.

* * *

 **Okay, okay, you're going to hate me for that. So . . . close, and no proper kiss? He might as well have pushed her off a statue. I hate myself for it, too don't worry. Tease. There's more coming, romantics, so hang on. And if you think that was good; wait until they actually do kiss. It's even better~ :)**

 **Ta-ta!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Thanks to Espeonage Espeon for the review, favourite and the follow; and onto Chapter Twenty. I wanted something to show Ravio's state of mind after the events of the last chapter, and while it's a bit shorter than most of the others, it doesn't matter. Enjoy the chapter!**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

Ravio shut the door behind him and with a flick of his fingers, had a fire blazing in the hearth. He had a tendency to stay in the guest suite the Princess had given him lately. It may have been the privacy, but he suspected it was partly because of the sheer luxury of the place. The whole suite cost more than he could afford. And speaking of things he couldn't afford…

Sheerow chirped anxiously, feathers ruffling as his owner wrenched the door to the balcony open. Ravio ignored him as he stared uneasily out at the silent, night-darkened kingdom, a turbulent winter wind tousling his hair. The blue bird chirped again as it landed on the railing, staring up at him with obvious concern.

"Don't look at me like that," he snapped, glaring at his feathered friend. Sheerow hopped backwards in alarm – it was clear to him that was his owner was hurting. But about what?

He whistled a query, and Ravio rolled his eyes in exasperation. "I'm fine, Sheerow. I don't know why you're asking. Everything's just peachy."

The hurt, the confusion in his voice was more noticeable than before, and he flinched as the creature he called friend started whistling a familiar tune. "Stop. Just stop whistling." The flatness of the command made the little bird jump into the air before it darted off. He watched sullenly as Sheerow vanished into the darkness, swallowed up by the shadows.

When Sheerow returned, Ravio was sitting with his back to the still-open balcony door, staring blankly into the hearth-fire. "What am I going to do?" he whispered into the stillness. "I can't reverse my actions, and I'll be damned if I want to."

A curious chirp made him wince, and he held his hand out to see a folded piece of parchment drop onto his palm. The messy scrawl caused him to look at the little bird in surprise. "You went to see Link? After nine at night?"

Sheerow whistled the affirmative, and he just shook his head. "Oh, boy. I suppose I better read it, then. He expects a reply?" Another whistle and he had to laugh. Unfolding the parchment, he smoothed the creases out and began to read.

' _Ravio,_

 _What's going on? Sheerow's in a real flap, and he wouldn't calm down until I started writing this. If you've gone and gotten yourself trapped in a dungeon, I'm not coming to save your sorry hide. You can get out of there yourself, thank you._

 _Is something wrong? Has Yuga showed his ugly face? Did you drop that captain in a crevice and now your princess won't talk to you? Or is it something else entirely?_

 _Link.'_

He stared at the words with a sinking feeling of dismay. Even after he'd sat down at the table he used as a writing desk, he still couldn't formulate a response. It wasn't like he could tell the truth. Could he? Putting quill to parchment, he began to write.

' _Link,_

 _No, I didn't get myself trapped in a dungeon. Yuga hasn't shown up, thank Farore, but I felt like dropping the captain in a crevice earlier today. The drunken fool decided to start a brawl and the veteran couldn't have picked a worse time to arrive at the castle to tell me about the situation._

 _… I may or may not have done something really stupid. The kind of stupid you can't take back. And don't want to either. I'm an idiot._

 _Ravio.'_

Sheerow quickly returned with another message, and Ravio chuckled as he read it. He could almost see Link frowning at him. He was going to land in a heap of trouble for this.

' _Ravio,_

 _Brother, give me a straight answer. I'll agree that you're an idiot, but I'm not going to rest until you tell me what's going on. How stupid are we talking here? You can be a hopeless coward when you want, and shying away from the issue doesn't help. Goddesses help me._

 _Link.'_

Well, it was going to be a long night then. Because there was no way he was getting a straight answer. Or a proper one. This was to be an interesting conversation.

 _'Link,_

 _I'm not hopeless. A coward? Yes, sometimes. And I'm not shying away from the issue, just avoiding it._

 _Ravio.'_

 _'Ravio_

 _That's the same thing, you twit! Ugh, I swear… Just answer the question! How. Stupid?_

 _Link.'_

' _Link,_

 _Really stupid. The kind of stupid which messes with your head and your heart. Happy?_

 _Ravio.'_

 _'Ravio,_

 _No. Stop being so cryptic, dammit!_

 _Link.'_

 _'Link,_

 _Can't help it. It runs in my family. We also happen to be experts in denial. So, am I telling you the truth? You can't tell, can you? Hmm. Beat that._

 _Ravio.'_

 _'Ravio,_

 _Are you serious? What is this, some sort of game? Narbitt skill or not, I know you, Ravio. You're in denial. Majorly. What did you do?_

 _Link.'_

 _'Link,_

 _You'd best ask Hilda that, not me. Oh, wait, don't. Put it this way: I'm in trouble and in deep. _

_Ravio.'_

 _'Ravio,_

 _Don't think you're getting with this. I just sent Zel a mesage, explaining the situation. Expect us tommorrow, because I'm not letting this go. I want answers._

 _Link.'_

Ravio groaned. It could be worse. Way worse. Having the Hyruleans in the castle again wasn't that bad. He'd just need plenty of sleep in order to deal with it, that's all. And considering it was already past ten thirty, he needed to get to bed. Especially after the day he'd had. Especially after that.

* * *

 **I really had fun writing the conversation between Link and Ravio. XD Tired, cranky Link is fun to write. Anyways, leave a review, or follow and favourite if you want to, and I'll see you next time!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-one and over three thousand total for the story. Can we make it to four before the year is over? I wonder. We're just reaching the midway point, and it's time for the big secret. Bigger than the Triforce, even. All those little clues lead to this moment in the story... Enjoy!**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

When Ravio stumbled down the stairs late the next morning, Hilda took one look at him and dragged him by the ends of his scarf into the throne room. He was an utter mess – quite frankly, she wouldn't be surprised if he'd slept in the clothes he was currently wearing. They appeared wrinkled enough. And his hair, well, even though she knew he'd probably made some half-hearted attempt to brush it, looked like it hadn't seen one for weeks. Not to mention the dark circles under his eyes made him look like some sleep-depraved, Keese-crazy raccoon.

"Did you sleep at _all_ last night?" she demanded, half-angry with him. "Or did you spend the night hours working on that ridiculous project of yours?"

Honestly! Just because he happened to be the kind of person to like history – surprise, surprise – he thought he could stay up all night working? Not on her watch he didn't. He was her bodyguard, and a Narbitt, not to mention her fellow Triforce holder. He was _not_ going to get away this.

"It's not ridiculous. It's important. Very important," he mumbled.

"I never said that it wasn't important, I-" Hilda stopped, shaking her head. There was no arguing with him like this. He'd just come up with some answer that only half made sense. "You're impossible. I asked you if you slept last night, not about your project. Were you even listening?"

He nodded slowly. "'Course I was. I went to sleep sometime around midnight. I was up until ten thirty conversing with Link; and then I spent one and a half hours trying to piece the clues together. It's bugging me because I know the evidence is right beneath my nose but I can't figure it out for the life of me."

She chuckled dryly. "So you'd be able to get it if you were a Shade like the rest of your family?"

"Probably. I swear Aviol knows; just the same as Queen Agatha does; but I have a feeling they're keeping me in suspense. And I hate it."

"You hate _what_ exactly?" Link demanded, strolling casually through the doors and into the room.

"Ah… none of your business, Link." he replied.

The Hyrulean snorted, folding his arms across his chest. "Don't be ridiculous. I told you last night, I want answers."

Ravio stiffened. "You'll get them in due time."

Zelda sighed as she slipped past her general into the room. "Boys, don't fight. It's not good for you; what with you both having rather … explosive personalities. I don't think the Hyrule Royal Treasury can afford to pay for the damages."

Hilda paused, glancing back and forth between the two bearers of Courage. "What's this about?"

Link smirked. "Sheerow turned up at my place sometime after nine last night. At first I was puzzled because I've never seen him such a mess, so I thought Ravio had gone and done something stupid."

"I almost dropped the captain down a crevice yesterday afternoon," he muttered.

Link shook his head. "That's _not_ the stupid thing you were talking about."

Her eyes widened, softening as she spoke. "Ravio, is this about yesterday?"

He scowled. "No, it's not. Now, if any of you need me, I'll be in the library. I have work to do." Having said that, he spun around, pulling his scarf from Hilda's grasp, and stormed off.

"Coward!" Link yelled after him. He was ignored.

Ravio stared hollowly at the notes in front of him, fighting a growing headache. The words were all blurring together into one big muddle and he still couldn't make head or tail of it. Having a book on the genealogies of the kingdom was handy but really rather stupid if didn't give you the answers you were looking for.

"Ravio?" His princess. Funny, he'd never thought of the term in the possessive before. He'd never had reason to, either. _The kind of stupid you can't take back, alright,_ he thought somewhat ruefully.

"What is it?" he called. "I'm kinda busy here. Busy giving myself a headache, that is."

She laughed walking over and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Link's still annoyed with you, you know."

'I know – and as far as I'm concerned, he can go jump down a well. I can't tell exactly tell him the truth, now can I?"

"Who are you kidding? Despite all the teasing that would occur they'd be happy for us. Both of them."

He chuckled. "Okay, okay. Am I allowed to be cryptic about it?"

"Be cryptic about _what_ now?" Link demanded loudly from the doorway. Ravio jumped, snatching a book off the table and throwing at his counterpart's head. The book, a record of the oldest genealogies in the kingdom, connected with a thud and Hilda winced as Link toppled over onto his butt.

"Don't do that, idiot! You startled me!" Ravio exclaimed. "Just think yourself lucky that it wasn't a fireball."

"I am; I am. So what are we being cryptic about again?"

"The answers," Ravio replied, hurriedly collecting the book from where it lay on the ground and returning it to the table. He grimaced at the state of it, seeing a loose page at the back of the book. "You can tell Irene she was right."

"Irene?" Link was puzzled. "What's Irene got to do with it?"

Ravio took no notice – he'd turned his attention to the loose page, and what he read there rendered him speechless. He always imagined that it was complicated but never to this extent. Holy Goddesses. Three help him - he'd done it now.

"Ravio? What's the matter?" Hilda queried, spotting the look of complete shock on his face.

He could only place the book in her hands and point to the words.

' _Dearest Children,_

 _This is Agatha, first Queen of your kingdom. I have great hopes for you and your people, and I can only wish that history does not repeat itself. But alas, I cannot control such a thing. So if it does, remember: the Triforce isn't the only thing that binds the Narbitts and the Royal family together. And if our Triforce perishes, that blood which we share might be the only thing that holds the place together._

 _I have closed the fissure between the two worlds, and I pray that no-one discovers it again. Be wary of those who come wishing to advise you, Royal, bearing the trademark red hair and 'artistic' abilities of the Yunon line. No good can come of that._

 _Never lose my mother's flute, and never misplace the map of the location of my father's great stone lantern. Do not forget the meaning behind the song entitled 'These Painted Stars'. For those are this kingdom's greatest treasures. The power of the Narbitt flames, my child, is what fuels the lights of this kingdom, and you must never let the fire go out. No how matter close it gets._

 _And if it is somehow possible, keep in touch with the Lindak and Hyrela family. You would have my parents' gratitude. (And my brother's – Vion's a bit smitten with a certain Hyrela princess. Ssh, our secret.)_

 _Agatha Lorealu, first of the Royals.'_

"Sweet. Mother. Naryu," she gasped.

"I know. I can't believe it either." Ravio murmured. "It's completely, utterly insane and yet …"

"… And yet, it makes perfect sense, doesn't it?"

"What makes perfect sense?" Zelda asked quietly, stepping past her general. The Loruleans exchanged glances, and nodded. This affected their counterparts just as much it affected them. It was only fair.

Hilda cleared her throat, raising her head to look the Hyrulean princess in the eye. "It would appear Ravio and I are related."

* * *

 **Okay, I had to end there. Yes, I know a cliffhanger, but trust me Link and Zelda's reactions are priceless. And that's not the only thing that happens next chapter ~ I'm not telling either, so don't go begging for spoilers; 'cause it ain't gonna happen.  
**

 **As always, review, favourite and follow if you want to. 'Til next time!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Ah, Chapter Twenty-two. Finally. As promised to the latest reviewer (Zeldageek726), I'll give an explanation of how Ravio and Hilda are related. It's actually really simple.**

 **As you've probably figured out, the original Lorulean bearers of Courage and Wisdom - Aviol and Hilda - were married; as were their counterparts, Ucheriah and Zelda (daughter of Lady Hylia and the Knight Commander, Hero of the Sky). That's where the next generation comes into play. Agatha and Vion were sibling counterparts to Lincoln and Lana; and of the four, Lincoln and Agatha went on to form monarchies. Vion and Lana have their own story - maybe I'll tell it one day.**

 **The custom was that if a mother had been an only child, or her parents and family had died, she would pass her name onto her first born daughter. The same went for the son, should the father of the child be in a similar situation. If you recall, in Chapter 13, Hilda's journal mentions what happened to her parents, and to Aviol's family. Hilda was an only child; just like Zelda and Ucheriah were, but Aviol was the eldest of seven. Poor guy had four younger brothers and two younger sisters.**

 **Lincoln and Lana didn't exactly follow that rule, but they just followed their parents. Ucheriah wasn't exactly good at keeping laws and Zelda often broke them more than she could keep them, just to make sure Ucheriah didn't land himself in too much trouble.  
**

 **Anyway, enjoy the chapter, and I hope that clears up some of your questions.**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

You could have heard a pin heard drop in the silence. Link was staring at them like they'd suddenly transformed into Moblins or something equally horrifying, and Zelda had frozen where she stood, mouth agape. It was all Hilda could do not to burst out laughing – she might as well have told them she was considering pardoning Yuga for what he had done. Or, Sacred Realm forbid, marrying him. The thought alone made her snort in amusement. _That_ was one thing that was never going happen.

Ravio rolled his eyes. "Oh, great job, Hil. You've gone and killed them – the shock was too much."

She smirked. "Does this I mean can take over Hyrule now? Because I've already attempted that, might as well make it official."

"You know, we _could_ always shove the pair of them in a room and shut the door. Our counterpart bearers do have a record for getting themselves in all sorts of 'situations'."

A scarlet blushed appeared with full force on the Hyrulean princess' cheeks as she realised what he was implying, and Link choked, surging to his feet. "What did you just say?" he growled, scowling.

Hilda waved a hand in dismal of his words. "Oh, come off it, General. We all know it's going to happen."

"If you're going to refer to me by my title, Princess, do it properly. My last name is Lindak." Link hissed through clenched teeth.

"Is that so?" she queried. "Well, if that's the case, you ought to read this. I think you'll find the information you need at the beginning of the last paragraph."

He took the offered book, eyes scanning the aforementioned paragraph. "Huh… that's strange. 'Hyrela'? Why do I feel like I've heard that name before?"

Zelda blinked. "It sounds like … 'Hyrule' to me. Or is it coincidence?"

Hilda laughed. "Not when 'Lorealu' sounds like 'Lorule'. You know, Aviol's journal mentions a Lady Hylia. Could she be a relation to the first King of Hyrule?"

Ravio nodded. "You'd be right, Hilda. She's actually his grandmother."

The Hyruleans shook their heads, stunned. "Whoa, whoa, wait. How on Farore's green earth are we going tell the Sages _this_?" Link demanded. "That Zelda and I are distant cousins? They're going to freak!"

"Osfala most of all, I imagine." Zelda added, grimacing. "To be honest, I'm glad this has come to light – it'll stop him chasing after me. It makes me sick."

"Does this mean you'll be keeping me around, then, Zel?" Link joked.

She giggled, throwing an arm around his shoulders. "Of course! Who else would be able to make me laugh during those long, and often boring, meetings? No-one!"

"And it's not like anyone else is going to put up with my antics, now, are they?"

"No – if it weren't for me, you would have been kicked out of office long ago." she agreed. "That is, before you whipped the guard into shape – they actually do their job properly."

He winked sly. "Not properly enough when I can slip past them to visit you when I shouldn't be. Having said that, I'm their General, it's none of their business what I do in my leisure."

Zelda blushed, remembering some of those visits quite fondly. Her free hand touched her lips as she looked away from him, smiling faintly. "You're going to get me in so much trouble, Hero of Hyrule."

Link chuckled. "You can bet your Rupees on it, Princess. I'm dangerous to be around."

"So I've come to realise. I notice Irene seems to think we've got something going on. Would she be right?"

"Oh, is she ever. I'm not denying I find you fascinating – in more ways than one, either."

Ravio bit his lip, resolutely ignoring the Hyruleans in the room. They were luckier than they knew. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed a sheaf of notes in one hand and snapped the fingers of the other – if he couldn't burn, than something would have to. He didn't realise that he was crying until someone grabbed him by the wrist and spun him around.

"Let me go, Hilda!" he snarled, struggling to shrug her off. "I'm fine!"

Her mouth twisted, eyes narrowing as she studied him. "Expert in denial, alright. No. You are not fine, Ravio. Admit it."

He hung his head. "What's the point? I'm not worth it. All I do is take up space where I'm not wanted."

"What?" she was baffled. "How can you say that?"

"Might as well hang me now, Princess and toss my body in a ravine. I'm not worth your time – just a coward who runs from everything."

"No, you're not. You never have been."

"You give me a chance and what do I do? I run away. Like I always do – run from my past, my enemies, my friends … and my feelings."

"This _is_ about yesterday, isn't it?" she demanded.

"This doesn't have a _THING_ to do with yesterday!" he retorted angrily. "I don't know why you think that!"

"Maybe because ever since then you've been worse than you ever were? And you won't let me help you?"

"I don't deserve your help! I'm the mess, not you!"

Hilda reached up and grabbed the ends of his scarf, twisting them around her shaking hands. Ravio looked away from her, avoiding her gaze. "Ravio," she said softly. "Look at me."

"I'm afraid I cannot, Princess."

She scowled. "That was not a choice, Master Narbitt. That was an _order_. As your Princess and ruler, I command you to turn and face me. Now."

He stiffened, ears twitching as she spoke. "As you wish."

Hilda flinched as he turned his head towards her, refusing to meet her eyes. This wasn't her Ravio. Not when he sounded so dead and void of life. She unwound his scarf from around his neck, letting it fall to the ground, before she framed his face with both hands. "Ravio… listen to me. Please."

His breath caught in alarm, whether from her proximity or the desperation in her voice, she didn't know. And she didn't care – not when she saw the faint smile on his face as he spoke. "Listen? To a captivating voice like yours? Princess, I could do that for that an eternity."

She smiled, relieved. "All the same, you better pay attention, you hear me? And no interrupting."

"No interrupting – I think I can manage that."

"Good. First of all, how can you think I'd be able to convict you of some non-existent crime when I can hardly argue with you? I can't bring myself t-to order you around, so how do you think I'd go trying you of said crime and then _hanging_ you? I'd sooner hang myself, princess or not."

To her dismay, she started crying – the thought alone made her freeze up, so she knew there was no way she'd actually be able to do it. He neatly caught each tear as it fell, wiping it away with the utmost care; all she wanted to do was bury her face in his chest and cry her heart out. But she couldn't – instead she let her hands fall back to her sides.

"Ravio, you're my friend. My best, best friend in this kingdom and any other. I'd much rather leave Lorule to Yuga's clutches and without an heir to watch over it than let you leave me behind. I mean it."

"But…" Ravio protested weakly. "You can't do that!"

"As princess of the kingdom," she replied. "I can. I'd be the last ruler, but it wouldn't matter without you."

Hilda smiled at the look on his face and chuckled. "You've given me a lot of things, Ravio Narbitt. Hope. Faith in myself. A chance to laugh. But, most of all, you've given me a chance to love and be loved by someone. And it's because of that, dearest heart, that I have the courage to do what I'm about to do."

Ravio's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to ask a question, but she grabbed him the collar of his tunic, dragging him closer to her; effectively cutting him off. Then, without thought or care of consequence, Princess Hilda of Lorule pulled his face down to hers and kissed him fiercely.

* * *

 **Aaannd the rest is history~ ;) I'm joking, I'm joking! Part Two is just around the corner (can you see it?) and it's going to be a wild ride. I can't wait to share it with you, readers. As always, follow, favourite and review - Chuchus to those who do!**

 **See you!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty-three. I've decided to have three parts to this story, rather than just two. Part Two bridges the gap between Parts 1 & 3, and a little bit more context for Part 3. Plus Hilda gets drunk, so that's pretty funny. Hehehe...  
**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

Goddesses. Oh Goddesses. He must be delirious – he had to be, because there was no way this was actually happening. Hilda couldn't be kissing him, and there was no way he could be kissing her back. Ravio ran a hand through silky-soft hair, fingers dancing down her spine.

She mumbled something in response, clutching him tighter as her gloved fingers massaged the back of his neck. He sighed in delight, feeling her snatch his breath away the minute it left his lungs. And while his magic could always provide more oxygen for the pair – he'd have to experiment with that some other time – he had some unfinished business with a certain Hyrulean general.

With great difficulty he pulled himself away, although upon hearing his princess' groan of disappointment, he _almost_ went back for more. Almost. All was blissfully silent, for their counterparts had respected their privacy – he suspected that Link was silent not because of respect but because of shock, however. He'd probably frozen in a dumb stupor.

"Remind me, Princess, what you were thinking?" he whispered.

"I wasn't!" she responded, grinning at him. "Care me stupid; care me reckless I no longer care. Oh, sweet Naryu, Ravio, have I ever told you you're brilliant? 'Cause you are."

He gave her a familiar lopsided smile. "Many times, Hilda, many times. I won't stop you, though, from saying it again."

"Wow," Zelda remarked. "Not even Link was that calm after the whole 'first kiss' thing. He fled in a panic."

Ravio laughed. "Oh, Zelda, that's classic. I'll be probably be running around in circles freaking out later. I am not calm in the slightest – my heartbeat's going so fast and so loud I'm surprised you can't hear it."

Hilda hummed in delight. "Oh, is that so?" she asked. "I can always make go faster,"

The Hyrulean princess blinked, but that was all the surprise she let show. "Did she just-"

"Yes, she did." he confirmed, shaking his head. "I was afraid this would happen. Hilda, I don't think Zelda needs you contributing to her mental state of mind – she has Link for that."

"Ah, well, have fun Ravio. I'm off to get a vase and a water pitcher." Zelda sniggered, humming to herself as she left. The library was quiet. Startling so.

"…I don't even want to know _what_ she's going to do with that vase," Ravio commented in the silence.

"It'll be fun to see," Hilda mumbled unsteadily.

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you were drunk." he added.

"On love. And that is all." she replied stiffly, even as she winked.

"Just my luck, you'd turn out to be a terrible drunk. And I'd have to drag you away – with as much politeness as possible, of course – lest anything happen. Sacred Realm help me, I hate my life. My job too." he complained.

She giggled. "No you don't. 'Cause then you wouldn't have me."

"Whether you like it or not, sweetheart, I'll always be a part of your life; and you'll always be a part of mine. Looking after you is my job – it's part of my family history, a part of me, and besides, you can't exactly … get rid of me."

"Oh, that was just plain mean." she grumbled. "You're asking for trouble, you idiot."

He snorted. "Narbitts are trouble - It's ingrained in our DNA. To varying degrees, of course,"

She rolled her eyes. "Of course," she replied dryly, raising an eyebrow. "Why am I not surprised?"

The door opened, and Zelda walked back in, carrying – you guessed it - a vase and water pitcher. She was humming to herself as she placed the vase and pitcher on the table, giving Ravio and Hilda a wicked grin. "This should be fun,"

Ravio sighed. "Oh boy. This can't be good."

She walked over to where Link stood, snapping her fingers in front of his face. "Linky, wake up! It's not that bad, is it?"

No response.

"Okay, you don't give me a choice, then. Don't blame me for this, you brought it on yourself."

Ravio watched, wide-eyed, as she grabbed the water pitcher and then unceremoniously dumped the contents over Link's head. The Hyrulean General gasped, the cold snapping him out of his trance, and lunged for his princess as the pitcher shattered on the floor, pulling her into a rough kiss.

When he released her, breathless and grinning, she couldn't help but laugh. "Works every time."

"You're cunning, my dear, very cunning." he congratulated. "It's no small wonder you're who you are."

She smirked. "What do you take me for? A china doll? Dark Realm, no!"

"If someone thought me any less than I am, I'd punch them in the face," Hilda added with a snarl.

Ravio tightened his grip on his princess. "Easy, Hil. He can't touch you now. I won't him – my advice is that you forget him."

"How?" she begged. "You're so good at advising me, you tell me."

He chuckled. "I can make you forget, y'know. I have my ways."

She blushed. "Shut up, Ravio. I didn't ask for that."

"Okay, now I know you love me. You're reading too much into things."

"What does that have to with anything?" she demanded.

"Everything – we both know you can't stay mad at me; I'll just laugh it off."

Zelda had a thoughtful frown on her face. "Hold up," she interrupted. "Hilda, you said that he's so good at advising you. Why is that?"

She shrugged. "He's honest. And he's just a natural – his background means he's always got some well-meaning piece of 'wisdom' to give."

"I'm not sure if I should be flattered or insulted," Ravio grumbled.

"Clarity, not clairvoyance," she shot back, grinning.

"I have a feeling my counterpart is meant for a greater destiny than a princess's bodyguard." Link added.

Ravio's eyes widened as a thought struck him. "…A pretty good playing hand…play your cards right. That's it!"

His companions regarded him with a frown. "What's 'it'?" Zelda asked.

His head spun as the pieces started to fall into place. "Link and I are counterparts, right? Equals?"

"Yeah…" Link was puzzled. "Where are you going with this?"

"You'll see. Link, buddy, you're on par with the Sages, aren't you? Both officially and un-officially?"

"Yep, I am. Why? You saying you want another promotion?" he teased.

"Heh… when you put it that way, yes. I know Hilda doesn't care. And I have a feeling the people won't mind, either. What do you say, Hil?"

"You better do a superior job or else you're in deep trouble, mister." she replied seriously, stepping back and looking him in the eye.

"I told she wouldn't care," Ravio muttered. "Much."

Zelda sighed regretfully. "C'mon Link. We better get back. I'm so tired I could sleep the whole of tomorrow."

"Aw, Zel, you look like you need a break. What'd you say we skip tomorrow and add some fuel to that rumor fire?" Link teased, taking her arm.

"Sounds like a plan," she mumbled. "See you soon, you two?'

"Soon," Ravio agreed. "Two years' time?"

"Two years' time, Advisor Narbitt. Until then," Link joked.

"Until then, General Lindak."

* * *

 **Review, follow, favourite, the works! Until next time everyone!**


	24. Part 2: Chapter 1

**Part Two! Yay! I've got to thank lady of zsgolla for the story follow and favourite, before I get into my usual spiel, so thank you! :) Oh, this is going to be good. Warning!: Contains Flirty Hilda. Read at your own risk! XD**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

Ravio was pacing the length of his chambers. The dignitaries were supposed to be arriving in an hour and he was a nervous wreck. Sure, Link and Zelda would be there backing him up, but not with every else in the way. Well, he wasn't too sure about Link. The guy was a born rule-breaker. And that was saying something, coming from him. Great. He was rambling again. It just showed how nervous he was.

There was a knock at the door, and he felt his lips curve up into a smile. "Come in," he called.

Hilda stuck her head around the corner. "I thought I might find you here. You good to go?"

"No," he confessed. "I feel sick. I hate being formal. It makes me think my tongue is tied up in knots."

"Is that so?" she queried, stepping inside. "Maybe you'd feel better if your tongue was tied up with someone else's?"

He sighed. "Hilda…"

He may have had experience dealing with his Princess, but she could still catch him out. Honestly, he hadn't expected her to be this flirtatious, but he was living with it. She walked across the room towards him, a familiar gleam in her eyes.

"You can argue with me later," she whispered, "but I need to get this out of my system. Forgive me."

"Always,"

Their lips met as she pulled him down to her, and he closed his eyes. He might have his reservations about the way she did it, and her timing, but once she started he wasn't about to argue. It had taken her an hour just to get ready, so he kept his hands by his sides and far away from her as possible but she had no such qualms.

Her fingers massaged the back of his neck, and then slowly inched up to his scalp as he bit down on the moan of delight that the action produced. His weak spot – it was so typical of her. He should have known. Really, he never should have told her that. Not that he regretted it or anything.

He broke the kiss, slowly opening his eyes again. "Feeling better?" he rasped.

"Like I could stare Yuga in the face," she replied. "Not that I'd want to, of course."

That produced a chuckle out of him, and he ran his fingers through his hair as he walked to the door. "You coming, Princess?"

She snorted. "I don't have a choice, do I?" she asked.

He cast a look over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow in disbelief. "Come now, there's no need to get sassy."

"No need? Excuse me, Advisor Ravio Narbitt, when it's just you and me I can be as sassy as I want!"

She planted her hands on her hips, glaring at him and tried not to smile. He let the door fall shut behind him as he walked back over to her, shaking his head in mock dismay. Oh dear.

"Well, you don't give me much choice then, do you?"

"No choice? No choice? Ravio, what are you- No, no, no! Put me down, you scamp! This instant!"

He shrugged, wrapping one arm around her waist, and shifted her arms to their usual place around his neck. She scowled up at him, wriggling helplessly in his grip. Dammit, he was too strong! How had he gotten so strong in these past two years?

"Nope. No can do, milady. I'm afraid that's not going to happen."

He used his magic to tug open the door, before shutting it behind him as he started to walk down the stairs. This was going to be fun. She could be oh so difficult when she wanted to be.

"Not going to happen? Ravio, I'm your ruler!"

It took a lot of effort not to smirk. "And I, dearest Hilda, am your bodyguard and personal advisor. You can't shove me around, you never have. It doesn't work."

"You're a jerk," she grumbled.

"So you say. But we both know you don't mean it. I mean it, however, when I say you're a natural procrastinator."

"I do _not_ procrastinate!" she protested hotly.

"Liar, liar, skirt's on fire," he retorted, smiling.

"What?" she was baffled. "No it's not!"

He rolled his eyes. "It's a saying, Princess."

"Yes, and a very literal one in your family!" she snapped.

"Don't you mean our family?"

"We're not married, you idiot," she growled.

"I never said we were. I'll admit you're painfully attractive, and that I'd consider myself incredibly if we were, but I never said that. I was referring to our relation of being distant cousins." He was enjoying this. Far more than he probably should.

"You're impossibly annoying, you know that?" she complained.

Ravio couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. "Oh, I know. And annoying you is _so_ much fun."

"I could have your head for this."

"You wouldn't," he replied dryly. "You love me too much."

"Somedays I wonder about that,"

"No you don't. You know you love me."

"And Cuccos fly backwards when the moon turns blue,"

He chuckled. "Cuccos don't fly backwards. And the moon doesn't get a cold. It's the moon."

"Will you pleasing stop tearing holes in my logic?!"

"It had holes in it in the first place. And twists. Not my fault."

"Ravio!"

They'd reached the bottom of the stairs, and he took a sharp left, automatically heading to the throne room. It took a gentle push from his magic to open the doors and once inside, he set on her on her feet again. A sharp snap of his fingers had a swirl of magic fill the place to the brim, tidying the place up.

Curtains drew back, letting light fall in streams across the carpet, and the room soon sparkled as everything else fell into place. It looked spectacular, just like it should. He stopped, scratching his head in a puzzled manner.

"Hmm…" he mused. "It's missing something."

"A giant sign?" Hilda joked as she settled on her throne.

He sighed wearily. "No… that would be too lax of me. If I'm to do my job, I need to do it properly."

"I don't know about you, but I've always missed the tapestries. They brightened the place up. It could do with a splash of colour."

"Right."

Another click and he was weaving fabric from light. Threads disappeared into the weave of the cloth, and gradually multiple tapestries took shape. When finished, he stepped back to admire his work with satisfaction.

"There!" he hummed. "That better?"

She nodded. "Much. It feels like home."

He chuckled. "Doesn't it always?"

"Ah. You know what I meant."

Indeed he did. He strode out of the throne room; out the castle itself, stopping to lean against a pillar lining the bridge. Now all he had to do was wait, and wait he would. It wouldn't take long.

* * *

 **What did you think? Please, as usual, tell my huingry little pet Chuchu! It needs love~!**

 **'Bye!**


	25. Part 2: Chapter 2

**Happy New Year everyone! This is going to be an awesome year, I can tell. And you know why? Because I'm going to finish this book! Which is going to be a major accomplishment for me - I've never written anything longer than twenty-ish chapters. Knowing me, this book will be, like, forty or something.**

 **Onto the chapter!**

* * *

Hilda sighed heavily, staring at the gathered dignitaries in her throne room. Ravio was currently sitting on the steps below her, idly playing with his magic. Clearly he didn't feel like standing much right now. She didn't blame him. This was monotonous. It was going to be a long couple of days.

She was bored. Another sigh escaped her, and Ravio's ears twitched. "Don't," he murmured softly.

"Give me one reason why not," she hissed back.

"You're the ruler of this kingdom. Poker face, remember?"

"I'd give it all away, you know. Just for a normal life."

He smiled sadly. "What is 'normal'? Is it just someone's fictitious idea?"

"Don't get all wise and knowledgeable on me," she grumbled. "It doesn't suit you."

"On the contrary, Princess, it suits me rather well. You don't want to admit it, that's all."

"Go back to your Rupees and magic tricks, Advisor," she snapped.

He raised an eyebrow. "As you wish, Your Majesty."

And he did. Fire lit up the room in swirls, waltzing around their guests in loops. Some of the visitors eyed the magic apprehensively, and Hilda groaned. Of course there'd be superstitious folk here. Of course.

"Ravio. Stop – you're scaring the guests."

He shrugged and folded his hand shut. The magic vanished in a snap. She found herself smiling – she had a feeling she knew where that magic was going. Oh boy. He was going to get in trouble for that. Magic didn't exactly vanish – it was displaced, in a sense – back to the caster or, in this case, someplace else.

Her suspicions were confirmed when a letter appeared, a pale blue feather dangling from the seal. Ravio got his feet, climbing the dais to hand her the letter. His lips twitched as he pressed it into her hand, trying not to laugh.

"Well, what do you know? Linky-boy wasn't too happy with his reminder."

She eyed the parchment with a barely concealed grin and sighed. "You didn't…"

He chuckled. "I did."

Unrolling the letter, she whistled in surprise. "Sweet Mother Naryu! Someone needs to wash his mouth out! He really isn't happy, Advisor Narbitt. You just had to set his breeches on fire didn't you?"

"Huh? I meant to set his hair on fire, but the breeches are a bonus. I bet he had to jump in the castle moat."

She was inclined to agree with him, and she giggled slightly as she re-rolled the letter. "Now what?"

He smirked. "Now? We wait."

"Farore help me."

Ten minutes later, the doors flew open with a bang, and this time Hilda _did_ sigh aloud. "And here are the representatives of Hyrule. Fashionably late, I see."

Link ground his teeth. "My apologies, Princess Hilda. Perhaps Princess Zelda and I wouldn't have been so late if not for your _Advisor_."

Ravio gave his counterpart a cheeky thumbs-up as Hilda grimaced. "Yes, General, I'm aware of what Advisor Narbitt did. But please, don't take your anger out of him. Quite frankly, I need him. Go teach my worthless guards a thing or two about real swordsmanship."

"As you wish, Princess,"

He saluted her, and quickly left the room, leaving a hush of whispers in his wake. Hilda chuckled when she saw Zelda wink at her and waved back. She would have to catch up with her counterpart at some point. If only to prevent Link from using Ravio as a punching bag. Though, she had to admit, Ravio could handle himself quite well these days.

"Princess? Do you wish for me to go after the General?" Ravio asked from beside her.

She nodded distractedly. "Yes, yes, of course, Advisor. Just … try not to provoke him too much. I don't need you two buffoons getting into another ridiculous fight. Sparring each other I could understand but do not allow yourselves to come to blows. That would give off the wrong impression for both kingdoms."

He bowed. "Understood. I shall return in, say, a half hour? That reminds me – when should I tell the palace cooks to serve the banquet?"

The banquet. Hilda's eyes widened in alarm, and she gasped. "Golden Goddesses! I completely forgot!"

He chuckled. "Good thing I reminded the cooks a week ago, then. Shall we say six, Your Majesty?"

"Six would be fine, Advisor. See you in an hour, Master Narbitt."

"I bid you good day, Princess, and take my leave."

His formality almost made her laugh, but she managed to keep a straight face. Hilda let out a quiet sigh when the door closed behind him, and relaxed immensely. She still had a speech, well, to speak but she could do it at the banquet. Ravio was right – she _did_ procrastinate. But nowhere near as much as he thought.

Ah, who cared? She most certainly didn't. There was no point in being aloof and sitting up here all by her lonesome self. It was better to go talk to her guests than make them come to her. Formalities were never her favourite royal 'perk'. No, indeed not.

"Princess Hilda?"

A voice snapped her out of her thoughts and she shook her head. "My apologies, I was lost in thought."

The couple smiled, and the woman who had spoken nodded. "Not to worry. We understand."

Grateful, she returned the smile. "What can I do for you?"

"We," the man spoke up, "are the Duke and Duchess of Reeping. And we wanted to speak to you about our … Ambassador. Vilen."

She groaned. "Oh, him. Right. Whatever happened to him? If you mind me asking, that is?"

"No, not at all, Princess." The Duke assured her. "We thought you would want to know, in fact."

"Your Advisor was right in his estimate. He was stripped of his title, and cast out of his family. I almost wish he had turned up in an urn as nothing but ashes." The Duchess added wistfully.

"So do I," Hilda replied grimly. "So do I. I felt like letting Ravio do it too – he was absolutely livid."

"Well, if that's the case, he won't like hearing the news we have for you." the Duke responded with a frown. "The Duchess and I suspect he has followed us into Lorule, and intends to seek his revenge in any way he can."

Oh fan-freaking-tastic. "Do you have any proof of this?"

The Duchess sighed. "Unfortunately not, Princess. But we will let you know if we do find any, I assure you."

"Thank you." she replied curtly.

The couple bowed to her, and left, leaving her to her thoughts. Outwardly, she appeared the tiniest bit bored with everything, but internally she was very much preoccupied. Ravio was going to have a fit. Either that, or he'd enter what they both referred to as 'Triforce Mode'. It made him sound like an automaton or something, but it was scarily accurate.

After all, the wielder of Courage had a job to do, and Sacred Realm help anyone who stood in his way.

* * *

 **Just what they need. More trouble. Not. Oh boy, is Vilen in strife. Quite frankly, Ravio's deadly, and someone's going to find out the hard way. *sigh* Well, this should be fun! As always, don't forget to fave, follow and review if you liked it! Thanks!**

 **See ya next time!**

 **\- Familiar.**


	26. Part 2: Chapter 3

**Thanks to CherryPuffball for the follow, and onto the chapter! This is Chapter Twenty-six, Part Two of Three and the third chapter in this particular part of the story. Enjoy the banter between our main characters - it doesn't get much better than this. XD Don't forget to tell me what you think - I always welcome feedback from my readers, so please, do.**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

Hilda hummed happily as she surveyed the banquet which was currently taking place. The visitors were spread over three long tables, all discussing things as they ate. She didn't have very many people at her table with her. Just Ravio, Link, Zelda and the Duke and Duchess of Reeping. Her speech had gone well, despite her fainting in the middle of the darn thing, but aside from that there were no complications.

Ravio was sitting to her right, and Zelda was on her left. Link sat beside his Princess, somehow managing to eat a ridiculous amount of food, and the Duke was seated between Ravio and the Duchess . The ruling couple from Reeping listened with amusement to the animated debate Ravio was having with Zelda and Hilda found herself smiling. Everything was alright.

She chuckled as Link continued to stuff his face with food. "Y'know, General, you're going to end up sick if you keep that up. And I thought Ganon was a pig."

He swallowed, glaring at her. "Oh, excuse me for being hungry, Princess. I've been up since dawn and I didn't have lunch so of course I'm going to eat a lot of food. You try organising a bunch of useless guards around with an even more useless Captain. I seriously wanted to throw that guy through a wall."

Ravio rolled his eyes. "I don't think any Lorulean would complain, really. He's the resident drunk and honestly, he deserves nothing less than to be dropped over a cliff. Or drowned. I can't decide which would be more entertaining."

Zelda sniggered. "You really hate the Captain, don't you, Ravio?"

He shrugged. "I hate the blacksmith more. Seems to love bringing my parents up in completely random and unnecessary conversations. Why can't he leave the subject alone?"

Hilda sighed. "If you kill him, you do realise that you'd be committing murder, right?"

"Yes, I know, and as I've pointed to you before, if you hang the murderer for his crimes you're just as bad. So, essentially you've got to hang yourself."

"Seriously, Ravio? Seriously? And leave my kingdom without a ruler or an heir? No thank you!"

He smirked. "That's not entirely true and we both know it."

Link cackled. "Oh Farore, this is too good. Anyone got a pictograph box?"

Zelda sighed. "No, sorry. I left mine back Hyrule."

He waved a hand dismissively. "Big deal. I can go back and get it."

"Link, it's in my study. I doubt the guards would let you in there."

"I'm their General – they'd let me in. Either that or I can just slip past them."

"You'll do no such thing," she snapped. "If you leave, you do realise you're suspended from your duties for a week right?"

"Eh, doesn't matter. It'd mean I can sleep in for a whole week."

She grinned wickedly. "But Link, you're forgetting something."

"What?"

"You're not allowed anywhere on the castle grounds during that week."

"Oh man. Zel, that's not _fair_!" he complained.

She shrugged. "That's the rules."

"Spoilsport," he grumbled.

The Duchess leaned forward, a smile tugging at her lips. "Forgive me if I seem rude, Princess Zelda, but are you and General Lindak engaged? You certainly act like it."

Link choked on his food, and had to grab his glass of water in a hurry, nearly spilling all over the table. Zelda sighed, watching him, and shook her head. "No, Duchess, the General and I are not engaged. We're just very close friends."

Hilda smirked. "No, the only problem they might have is illegitimate heirs."

"Hilda!" Zelda gasped, horrified. "That's not true!"

"What?" Ravio interjected. "So they'd be legitimate heirs then?"

Hilda cracked up. "Go on, Zelda, answer the question. We're all curious,"

"Well, since we appear to be examining relationships, Ravio, what about you and Hilda?" Link asked. "Is your relationship with your princess strictly _professional_?"

He scowled. "Shove a sock in it, Link. It's not like you can talk."

Link chuckled. "What d'you mean I can't talk? I'm talking right now, aren't I?"

"Shut up, you blonde idiot. That's not what I meant and you know it."

"Hey! I'm not an idiot! I have a brain in my head!"

Ravio raised an eyebrow. "No, really? I thought your head was full of cotton stuffing."

"Why you-"

"Are you two gentlemen related by any chance?" the Duke asked smoothly. "Cousins? Or brothers?"

"Neither," Ravio replied. "All four of us were only children and as far as we know, our parents were only children as well. So no siblings and no immediate cousins."

"I'm sensing there's more to this story, however." the Duchess mused. "Would I be correct?"

He sighed. "Yes. There is more to the story. It was purely by chance, of course, but I discovered that Princess Hilda and I are related. Very distantly, but still related. The same goes for our Hyrulean friends."

Zelda laughed. "That was an interesting day – I'm not sure who was more surprised. Ravio or Hilda. I was very confused – to find that I was related to the Hero who saved both kingdoms was quite a shock."

"You weren't the only one who was shocked," Link mumbled. "I still say the Sages are going to have a fit when they find out about it."

"Send me a picture of Osfala's face when you do tell them." Ravio joked. "I'll use it for target practice."

"Ravio!" Hilda scolded. "That was rude!"

"Sorry, Hil. I don't like him much."

"Well," Zelda admitted, "you're not the only one. Link and I aren't fond of him either."

"You said the General saved both kingdoms, Princess Zelda? Which kingdoms would you be referring to?" the Duke asked politely.

Zelda sighed heavily. "Although worlds would be a better definition, Link saved both Hyrule and Lorule. From an evil threatened them both."

"Don't remind me," Hilda groaned. "I was so stupid; so blind. How could I have not seen it beforehand?"

"Hey, hey, it's alright." Ravio murmured. "You were desperate. Lorule was dying."

"I was a fool," she snapped. "I should have realised."

"And I was a coward," he replied gently. "You weren't at fault, Hilda."

"Hey! Enough moping!" Link chided. "Yuga was a manipulative, ugly pain in the rear end, and I don't think he'll be back any time soon."

Ravio stopped cutting his food and pointed his knife in Link's direction. It was pretty clear to those at the table he was about to make a point. Or try to.

"Don't be so sure – he's completely and utterly mad. Having said that, it seems to run in his family; along with the burning people's family to death thing, I suppose. The guy will receive his just deserts, believe me. He has three cases of treason, one of attempted murder, four of actual murder and one of arson stacked against him. He'll get what he deserves."

"My goodness!" the Duchess gasped. "He's worse than Vilen!"

"Way worse," he added grimly. "And he deserves ten times the amount of pain Vilen does – Vilen doesn't hold a candle to Yuga. Trust me, this guy's sick in the head. I don't even want to start on the whole 'painting' thing."

"Not to mention his whole obsession with Princess Hilda. And his hatred of anyone he considered beneath him, like worms he needed to step on," Link spat. "I'd give anything to step on _him_ ,"

"Hear, hear." Hilda snarled. "I want to punch him in his stupid, oh-so-smug face, Princess or not."

" _That_ , I'd pay good Rupees to see," Zelda chuckled.

"Nah," Ravio replied, going back to his food. "I want to tear him into tiny pieces and feed him to the Guays. Way more fun."

"I'm astonished. This Yuga fellow sounds like a real tyrant from the way your four speak of him." the Duke spoke up. "Does he hate you as much you hate him, do you suppose?"

Ravio scowled. "The feeling's very mutual, let me tell. Very mutual indeed."

They resumed eating, and apart from the occasional mild conversation – or debate in Ravio and Zelda's case – no-one at the table spoke much. It would seem they had had enough conversation for one night, and considering the topics which been brought up, no-one was inclined to talk much anyway. They had enough to think about as it was.

* * *

 **"No, the only problem they might have is illegitimate heirs." "What? So they'd be legitimate heirs, then?" - I love this. Ravio's probably right, but boy do the Loruleans enjoy teasing their counterparts. XD It makes for some very amusing reading, don't you think? I know I do.  
**

 **Bye!**


	27. Part 2: Chapter 4

**Thanks to LordKronos257 for the follow, and a very special thanks to my loyal reader prowessMaster44 for those three reviews. And our chats of course. Part Two, Chapter Four. Another Shade chapter - Aviol's back - but hey, I love these guys too much. They're mine. ALL mine. XD**

* * *

Ravio sighed. All of the morning's discussion had done his head in, and now he had to deal with another of the Captain's mistakes. Ugh, great. He'd hoped not to have to deal the idiot at all during the treaty negations, but no … of course not. "Someone really should burn that pathetic excuse to ash," he growled.

 _As much as I agree about the 'pathetic excuse' part, kid, you can't. You kind of need him._

He didn't blink, just threw a disgusted glare in the direction of the Shade keeping pace with him. Aviol shrugged, shoving his hands in his jacket pockets, a faint smile curving his lips up. Ravio snorted, looking away from his ancestor and touched the hilt of the dagger resting on his hip, fingers itching.

"Remind me why again? He's a drunk and I _hate_ drunks. He's nothing better than a punching bag."

Aviol chuckled. _Because you don't need four jobs, you workaholic?_

"I'm not quite sure if looking after the Princess counts as four jobs, Aviol. I think those centuries of being dead have messed with your brain – you can't count," he retorted.

 _Well, if you think keeping an eye on a Lorealu counts as more than one job in a sense, I'm not going to argue. I'm inclined to agree, in fact. But no, Ravio, I wasn't referring to that._

"I still say you can't count." he replied.

 _Say what you will – just let me finish. You're the Defender of the people, Protecter of the princess and bearer of Farore's Light. Don't you think that's enough? You really want to add Captain of the Guard to that list?_

"I hate titles," he snapped with a scowl. "And generally anything formal."

Aviol grinned impishly. _You want me to start on your titles, son? I can, you know._

Ravio glowered at him. "Enough."

The Shade laughed. _You're the last of the Narbitts. You do realise that your princess is the last of the Lorealu line, don't you?_

He sighed. "I realise. I'm not Link – I don't want to think about it. Let alone do anything."

"Huh? Do anything about what, Ravio? And who are you talking to?"

Ravio spotted Link walking towards him and rolled his eyes. "None of your business, nosy. And if you must know, I'm having a friendly chat with my dead ancestor's ghost."

Link sniggered. "You're strange. I don't see any ghost. Are you sure you're okay?"

Aviol frowned. _He's perfectly okay but whether or not he's good is a different story. Also, I'm a Shade, not a ghost. There's a difference._

Ravio groaned. "Shut up, old man. I don't need your irritating voice following me around like a lost puppy."

 _Old man? Old? Excuse you, Ravio, I am not old!_ Aviol protested indignantly. _You just hurt my feelings!_

"Oh pull-ease," he scoffed. "You're well over five hundred – you're old."

 _I suppose. I am nearly a millennium old. But saying it makes me feel that way. And I hate it._

Ravio smirked. "Go irritate Vion. I just hope he doesn't set your hair on fire."

Aviol scowled. _He wouldn't dare – or else I'll remind him exactly why he's so Goddess-forsaken miserable._

He shrugged. "Have fun then, I'm going to throw the Captain over a cliff into the river."

The Shade vanished with a slight chuckle, leaving Ravio standing in the hallway with Link. The General had his fingers laced behind his head, whistling and his counterpart glared at him. Link stopped, chewing on his lip, and raised an eyebrow.

"What? Seriously, brother, what's your problem?"

"Your face," Ravio growled back.

"Hey! I happen to find that offensive!" Link snapped.

"Live with it." he replied over his shoulder. "I'm going to have a little 'chat' with the Captain."

Turning on his heel, he continued down the hall, thin wisps of smoke billowing out from behind him. He really wasn't all that happy. And he had every right to be – his life was difficult as it was without having to handle drunken idiots.

"Ravio, wait up!" Link yelled. "You don't get to have to all the fun! Hey!"

Ugh. Link's voice sounded like a fairy. And fairies' voices were generally high and incredibly annoying. Sure, they were helpful, but… he wasn't fond of them. He kept them for emergencies not as pets. That was what Sheerow was for.

"Okay, hurry up!" he called impatiently as he reached the door at the end of the hall. "I don't have all day!"

"…I bet you don't … bossy-boots."

"I heard that!"

"You never had the thought that you were meant to?!"

With the Captain's curses still ringing in his ears, and Link trailing behind him, Ravio made his way up to his chambers. After letting himself and his counterpart in, he shrugged off his cloak, and removed what armour he was wearing, along with his gloves. Wearing all that metal really could weigh a person down – particularly if they had enough to weigh them down to begin with.

He was working automatically, going through the actions ingrained in his mind and his muscles. Armour removed? Check. Fire? Check? Shower? Not check. And he really needed one too. Nothing for it, then.

"Feel free to look around," he told Link. "Just don't touch anything you can't afford to pay for."

"Which is?"

He smirked. "Pretty much everything – especially the books. Don't touch those unless you want to have write them out from the fragments. I'm serious."

"Of course you are. Why am I not surprised?" Link groaned.

"I'm going for a shower – I swear I feel like someone dragged me through a bush backwards."

Link rolled his eyes. "Okay. Have fun – and don't drown."

"Like that's ever going to happen."

When Ravio walked back into the main room, wearing a clean shirt and a pair of breeches, Link took one look at him and started laughing. The Lorulean sighed, shaking his head in frustration. His counterpart was a hopeless cause. Running a hand through his wet hair, Ravio flicked it out of his eyes, only for it to fall back in them again. Groaning, he grabbed the towel he'd slung around his neck and started drying his hair again, grumbling under his breath. If it was one thing his hair did well, it was retaining moisture. And he hated it.

"It's not funny, you know," he complained. "Please, Link, shut up."

His counterpart just kept laughing. "You look like a drowned rat!" he spluttered.

He scowled as best he could. "And you'll look like someone dropped you over the balcony – all splattered over the rocks at the base of the castle."

That shut him up. "You do realise Zelda would literally hunt you down with a knife if you did that, right?"

He chuckled. "What? A butter knife?" he joked.

Link frowned. "No, idiot. A very large butcher's knife. And a sharp one at that."

"Ouch. She sounds rather territorial if you ask me. And I thought Hilda was bad."

"Bad how? If we're not careful we could have a royal catfight on our hands."

He winced. "Yeah… Hilda's Hilda. She threatened to let the Captain loose library once if I didn't stop what I was doing and actually go rest. Which meant no reading, either … actually sleeping. I didn't have a choice."

Link whistled. "Sheesh. It's probably because she cares, you know. You do work yourself too hard. One of these days you're just going to collapse from exhaustion."

Ravio grimaced. "You have a point. And she'd probably be swearing at me the whole time – for a princess, she has a very … colourful vocabulary."

Link chuckled. "Who would have thought?"

He grinned. "Not the Captain, that's for sure. He dislocated my shoulder last year and boy, did she go _off_. It was hilarious."

"Din! Are you for real?"

"I'm certain - it shocked him into being sober for once!"

"Now _that's_ an achievement!"

* * *

 **It most certainly is, Link! And yes, Hilda's language can be quite foul indeed. But it is rather funny. Now I can't the image of Zelda holding a butcher's knife out of my head - Ravio wouldn't be the only one running for his life. Like always, read and review, follow and favourite, or any combination of the aforementioned. You can't NOT read it anyway.**

 **'Bye!**

 **-Familiar.**


	28. Part 2: Chapter 5

**Thanks to prowessMaster44 for being my regular reviewer and chat-buddy - you're a great motivator, and a great person to have as a supporter. Chapter Summary: Not everything is all sunshine and roses for our Hyrulean couple, as we're about to discover. It would seem Zelda is a ... troll? And a highly feral cat, too. Me-row!**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

Later, in the library, Ravio had just finished writing, putting his quill to one side, when Link stuck his head in. The Lorulean raised an eyebrow at the sight of his dishevelled state and tried not to laugh. Link frowned at him, unsuccessfully attempting to flatten his hair out – it was all over the place and quite messy. A real bird's nest.

"What got you?" Ravio asked with a chuckle. "You look terrible."

His counterpart grimaced. "Zelda. Need I say anymore?"

"Farore, no." he replied hurriedly. "I'm good."

"At she didn't try to take a piece out of me this time." Link mumbled, rubbing his head.

"This time?" he repeated. "She got claws or something?"

He winced. "Yeah. Trust me; you don't want them in your skin. They freaking hurt! I can't count the number of times I've had to tell the guards the next day that I got attacked by someone's feral _cat_."

Ravio couldn't help himself, he started laughing. "You had to tell the g-guards you got mauled by a cat?"

Link scowled. "You were right about the territorial thing, that's for sure. It happens more than it should. I swear she does it on purpose. I mean, once or twice, okay, I get that. Sometimes I think I'd be better off drunk, then end up with shallow scratches in my skin. She's done that too."

"Done what?"

"Get me drunk," he admitted sheepishly. "It's embarrassing – but at least I don't remember what happened the next day. I'm usually too sick to even work, which she hates. I take my job seriously, thank you."

He sighed in disbelief. "Sheesh. If she hates you taking time off work, she should stop getting you drunk. I take my job _too_ seriously and Hilda has to force me to stop working – I'm not joking, either."

"No kidding. And then there's the whole thing with dumping water – ice cold, freezing water – all over me. It's no small wonder I haven't got hyperthermia yet."

"No wonder." Ravio echoed. "Goddesses! What can you do about it, buddy?"

Link groaned. "Nothing. I can't do a thing. I'm sick of it – I have the Triforce of Courage, for Farore's sake, and I can't do a thing about an out-of-control royal. It's crazy stupid."

"I gotta agree with you there. You don't know anything that could help you? Weaknesses? Anything?"

He hung his head. "I have some idea, but I don't want to risk it. As much as I complain about it, I love my job and I don't want to lose it over something so … forbidden. I can't talk to her about it, because she just ignores me."

Ravio's eyes narrowed. "If you can't talk to her… I bet Hil can. She's scary good at blackmail – and I mean scary good. It's freaky. She wouldn't turn a blind eye, and I'm not about to, either."

Link heaved a sigh of relief. "Would you tell her for me? I don't know who else to turn to without throwing everything into jeopardy. I love Zelda, but this isn't something I can do on my own."

He nodded, turning back , grabbing a fresh sheet of parchment and began to write. "Don't worry – it's all under control. I'm sending Hil a message now. We'll figure this out."

"Thanks Ravio. It's appreciated, believe me."

"I do, Link. Really, I do."

Quickly signing the note, he folded it and dropped the quill back on the table again. Striding over to the nearby windows, Ravio opened one and let out a sharp whistle. Sheerow was quick to arrive, chirping eagerly as his owner passed him the folded parchment.

"Can you deliver this to Hilda for me? It's important – and make sure Princess Zelda doesn't see it."

The bird nodded, before taking off again, the message held securely in its claws. Both bearers of Courage sighed in relief, before Ravio turned to face his counterpart. Link gave him a tired, yet very happy grin and let his shoulders slump.

"Thanks. Are you up for a trip to the blacksmith's? I have an idea for a prank… if you're game."

Ravio frowned. "Hmm. I've been meaning to talk to you about that Sand Rod too. But we can sort it out when we get there."

Link nodded. "Okay, fine by me. Just… how are we going to get out the castle? I can't leave through the main entrance looking like this! People aren't stupid!"

He clicked his tongue in thought. "You have a point. We'll take the servant's passages – they're perfect for sneaking anywhere."

Link raised an eyebrow. "Anywhere? Ravio, how could you?"

He rolled his eyes. "Get your head out of the gutter, you blonde idiot. I'm not you."

Link followed him out of the library. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means I'm not going to be the one with illegitimate heirs, that's what it means."

"Oh come on! This again? It's not like that!" Link complained. "You don't know half it!"

Ravio shook his head. "You can keep your secrets, Link. I'm not going to invade your privacy. I understand things aren't what they seem sometimes. Trust me. I've been there."

"You've mentioned that a few times. I still feel bad about calling you insane that one time."

"What's past is past, Mr. Hero. You didn't know – how could you? I never told you."

"Exactly. Though, it doesn't mean I can't feel guilty."

"It wasn't you who killed my parents, Link. Don't feel guilty about something you didn't do."

They were silent the rest of the way, and wasted no time in making their way out of the castle grounds. It was easy to slip past the fortune teller's tent (the pair of them both had a quiet laugh about Irene's grandmother) and rounded the corner to the blacksmith's.

Ravio knocked on the door and backed down the stairs hurriedly as the door flew open. The blacksmith peered down at him with a sneer, lip curling. "Oh, look at this. Don't you have better things to do than bother an old man, errand boy?"

"That's _Advisor Narbitt_ to you, Master Blacksmith," he replied coldly.

"Of course – you're still the princess' little pet, aren't you?"

"How _dare_ you! I belong to myself, you infernal smith, even if I do serve the Princess of the land!"

"Oh dear. It appears I've struck a nerve, 'Advisor'."

"Perhaps then, Master Smith, you'd like to strike a nerve of mine?"

Link's voice was unusually harsh as he stepped forward, placing a firm hand on Ravio's shoulder. The blacksmith faltered at the sight of the Hyrulean, much to Ravio's satisfaction. Link knew what he was doing.

"You're the kid with that sword! What are you doing in Lorule?"

Link tilted his head proudly. "I'm no kid, blacksmith. I'm the General of the Hyrulean Royal Army and I am here with the Princess Zelda to form an alliance with Lorule." he replied. "Remember that, because if you ever threaten my friend again, I can guarantee I won't be speaking with words. I'll be using my fists, and trust me, I've learned from the best. You'll be out for a few days if you're lucky – more if you're not."

Ravio smirked. "He has earned his title twice over as the Hero of his generation. Not just _anyone_ can carry the Master Sword. He is also the one I sold those weapons to. Isn't that right, General?"

Link nodded. "Quite. And they will continue to belong to me, to be passed to the next Hero along with whatever knowledge I have learned in my lifetime. They are not, and never will be, for resale."

The blacksmith looked crestfallen, and Ravio took the opportunity to rub it in a little more. "Say, General Lindak? I'm certain Princess Hilda told you we of Lorule have no desert?"

He raised an eyebrow. "That she did, Advisor. What of it?"

"I have discovered with what sand I had left from my last visit to your kingdom that I can in fact make glass trinkets. It works when I apply enough heat to the sand, you see. And in order to craft more of them, and experiment further, I need more sand. An unlimited supply, most likely."

Link hummed thoughtfully. "You're thinking of the Sand Rod? I have no use for it – you're welcome to lease it from me, Advisor. How long were you thinking of leasing it for?"

Ravio smirked. "Until I am defeated by Yuga in battle, General – so a couple of decades, maybe?"

His counterpart chuckled. "Fair enough. I'll see what I can arrange for you."

"I am forever in your debt, General Lindak. Thank you."

The blacksmith spluttered in disbelief. "But – but – how – why?" he demanded.

Ravio grinned. "He said they were not 'for resale', Master Smith. The General never said anything about leasing them from him. Oh, and here's an expression of my _gratitude_."

The blacksmith fumbled as he caught the small object Ravio threw at him, and his eyes widened at the sight of the silver Rupee lying in his palm. Link waved cheerfully as the two bearers of Courage turned around and started back the way had come. When he'd made sure they were far away enough that the blacksmith couldn't hear them, Ravio burst out laughing.

Link grinned. "That rupee wasn't worth a fragment, was it?"

"No, of course not!" he chuckled. "It was glass!"

"He's going to be so mad when he finds out, isn't he?"

"You bet he is! And he can't touch me either – or else he loses his business. Such a shame, really."

"Because of the 'princess' pet' thing?"

"Yep. Although I do prefer to think of it as royal 'property' – now, come on, let's go see if Hilda has anything for us."

"I'm coming, I'm coming, I swear!"

* * *

 **Poor Link. And Ravio can start working on the glass trinkets he loves so much. Yay! Molten glass all over Vilen~ Such a pretty picture, isn't it? XD** **Don't forget to feed my Chuchus Follow, Favourite and Review! They like mushroom dust c:**

 **See ya!**


	29. Part 2: Chapter 6

**Thanks to TheRobynGrayson for the follow, and on with the chapter. Link has one problem solved, but lands himself in another? Let's hope he can fix it.**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

The next morning, Ravio stood in the shadows of the meeting room, watching the proceedings with sharp eyes. He hadn't broken the habit since the first incident with Vilen and he wasn't about to. Old habits die hard, after all, and he had plenty of those.

Watching Link poke Zelda every ten minutes was quite amusing – even if he himself wouldn't particularly like to receive the snappish glares she was giving him. Hilda's were worse though. Someone had to make sure the Hyrulean princess didn't fall asleep, and Link was the only person who was qualified enough to do so. Let alone dared.

Wrapped in his soundproof cocoon, he watched without listening, thoroughly grateful for his ability to lip-read. Ever since his princess had informed him of Vilen's likely presence in Lorule, he'd been on guard, keeping an eye out for any sign of the former ambassador. So far, there hadn't been any sighting, but he was confident Vilen would make his move soon. And then he'd do exactly what he wished he'd done the first time around.

Hilda beckoned him over, and he smiled faintly, dispelling the bubble of silence with a snap of his fingers. He had a feeling she knew what she wanted.

"Yes, Princess?" he queried.

She pressed a folded piece of parchment into his hand. "Will you give this to General Lindak, please? I believe it's the _research_ he requested."

He nodded. "Of course, milday. As you wish." Bingo.

Zelda had frozen where she sat, back straight, eyes seeing nothing. That is, until Link leaned over and whispered something in her ear that had her blushing scarlet, eyes darting sideways. Ravio shook his head at his counterpart, chuckling as he slid the parchment across the table.

Link palmed the note, giving it a quick glance and the Lorulean princess an appreciate grin, before he stuffed the parchment in his pouch. Hilda grinned back at him, throwing a sly wink in Zelda's direction. The blonde princess shivered, glaring at her, and jerked a finger across her throat.

He raised an eyebrow at that, snapping his fingers in warning. Zelda's eyes widened as Link removed his left glove and tapped his Triforce pointedly, exchanging glances with Ravio. They mightn't have understood each other all the time, but when it came to Triforce matters, they were on the same wavelength. Link's meaning was clear, even to those from kingdoms who hadn't even heard of magical artefacts.

"Yes, General Lindak is right," Hilda agreed with a sigh. "It wouldn't be considered a wise move to attack Lorule, considering the power we hold. My Advisor comes from a long line of heroes, and his magic gifts him powerful abilities even without his Triforce piece. With it, however," she shuddered.

"With his Triforce piece, and being the first bearer in a thousand years, Advisor Narbitt is a serious force to be reckoned with. I've yet to see him truly angry," Link added. "But it is _not_ something I have any mind to accomplish."

"I don't get angry very easily. The last person I probably got angry at was the former Ambassador of Reeping – and if I hadn't kept a leash on my temper, I could have melted a crater in the throne room." Ravio confessed.

"Which would be a lot worse than a crack in the wall." Hilda grinned. "Like the one General Lindak has to pay for."

Link cringed. "You still remember that?"

She chuckled. "A bit hard not to, General."

A piercing whistle cut through the discussion, followed by a tune Ravio knew well. He tilted his head to one side, frowning as his princess and the Hyruleans glanced his way. Yes, it was Sheerow, and since Hilda was here with him, it had to be express mail from Hyrule. Curious.

"I'll get it,"

After shutting the door behind him, he hurried over to where Sheerow perched on a ledge, feathers ruffled. With a worried squawk, his pet dropped the letter into his cupped palms. He took enough time to scan the folded parchment to take note of its receiver, before he returned to the meeting room.

They all glanced up as he re-entered the room, a puzzled frown creasing his face. "Link, it's for you,"

His counterpart took the offered letter. "This is from Seres," he muttered in surprise.

Zelda groaned. "Well, it can't be anything good, that's for sure."

Link pushed his chair back. "My apologies, but it would appear something has come up."

Hilda nodded in understanding. "Ravio and I will come with you,"

Ravio sighed. "Until further notice, this meeting is on hold. We'll back after a short break."

The four of them filed out of the meeting room, and Zelda turned to Link impatiently when they were some distance away. He was frowning, a scowl on his face as he read the contents of the message.

"It would appear Irene has been her usual self, and she's been threatening to tell Osfala something of extreme confidentially. Seres says here that it was 'either Greenie tells her what he did, or I tell Osfala.'"

Zelda shrugged. "Well, clearly I don't know anything about it. Any ideas, Link?"

He shook his head. "No, not a clue."

Ravio gulped. "Um, Link? I'd check the letter again – there's two pieces of parchment."

Link flipped to the second page, and his face went white. He started breathing irregularly and his eyes widened. Ravio, recognising a panic attack when he saw one, grabbed Link by the arm and pulled a short distance away from the two princesses. Link's hands shook as he clutched the parchment, knuckles pale from holding on too tight.

"Easy, Mr. Hero," he muttered. "Easy. Take a deep breath, and tell me what happened."

"Irene – blackmail ," Link managed through clenched teeth. "Zel's going to be furious."

"Don't be ridiculous. What do you mean, blackmail? Did she find something she wasn't supposed to?"

Link laughed grimly. "Find? Farore, no. She caught me. If it'd been Osfala, he would have been too busy staring to notice me doing the same."

Ravio groaned. "Link, what did you do? It's got something to do with Zelda, right?"

"Yeah. I, well, I've been abusing my magic." he admitted. "Using it for things I really shouldn't use it for."

This was just getting worse and worse. Ravio wasn't if he wanted to hit Link or fall over laughing at his counterpart's stupidity. He was an _idiot_. A really big, stupid, crazy, moronic fool of an idiot.

"Like sneaking into places you shouldn't go. You'd gotten so used that you didn't even you'd get caught. Nice one, genius." he growled. "Irene's right – you have to tell Zelda. As soon as possible."

"What?" Link panicked. "I can't! I can't – she's going to freak!"

 _Oh for the love of –_ Ravio snarled internally. "Get a grip!" he snapped. "You have the Triforce of Courage, for Farore's sake, Link! Anyone would think you're scared of her!"

He recoiled. "I'm not scared of her – I'm scared of failing her. There's a difference,"

" _Tell_. Her."

Link shoved the parchment at him, causing him to react on instinct and activate his magic. He watched in horror as the letters burned to ash, oblivious to Link steering Zelda in the direction of her temporary chambers, promising to explain when they got there. His princess sighed as she turned to him.

"Are we following them?" she asked.

He nodded. "I'm going to soundproof Zelda's chambers just in case."

She blinked. "You're going to _soundproof_ them?" she repeated.

"It's Link and Zelda."

She chuckled. "You have a point."

When they reached their destination, Ravio pressed his ear to the door, as much he didn't want to. He heard Link finish explaining, and nearly choked on his surprise. That wasn't what he'd thought had happened but… this was Link. Nothing much else needed saying.

Zelda's response made him pull back from the door and immediately soundproof the surrounding area. 'You could have just asked.' Good Goddesses, there was something wrong that pair. Hilda took one look at him, and sighed. They had expected something like this to happen.

"I'll go call the meeting off until tomorrow. We could all use a break."

He just nodded mutely. Ugh, he swore he needed brain bleach. Good thing he had Hilda, then. She was certainly _distracting_. Mmm, yes, he didn't mind that idea at all. She wouldn't either. No, she would enjoy it just as much as he would. And since he'd figured out how to draw oxygen out his magic, they could keep going for as long as they wanted.

When Hilda returned, she saw the gleam in his eyes and grinned in wicked delight. "Ooh, someone feels like trouble. Shall we?"

"Only if you ask nice enough,"

* * *

 **And thus this results in long hours of kissing. ;) Link and Zelda, however... *shudders* no. No, they took it a little further than that. What would you expect from them? Any less? I certainly don't. They get themselves in all sorts of situations anyway.  
**

 **See ya!**


	30. Part 2: Chapter 7

**Something to note: I'm going back to school soon, so I won't be updating this anywhere near as frequently. It's an important year for me and I can't get distracted too much if I want to pass. So, that means that I won't be updating much during the school terms, unless I can do it on a weekend. Just letting you know!**

 **-Familiar.**

* * *

Ravio slumped into an armchair by the fire, rubbing his bleary eyes. He was exhausted, drained of both energy and emotion and he just wanted to punch a wall or something. Maybe set the Thieves'' Town bar on fire. He considered it momentarily but then decided against it. Doing something stupid like that would drain his reserves and he needed as much magic as he could get for when he confronted Vilen.

Who was currently enjoying a nice cosy cell in the dungeon. A place probably so vile the former ambassador had spiders a weaving spider-silk gag over his mouth while he slept, and rats nibbling on his fingers. Such a pleasant image, no? He chuckled dryly at the thought. Vilen would be horrified.

Link knocked on the half-open door and strolled in, flopping down in the other armchair. "You seem in good spirits, buddy." he observed shrewdly. "You sure you didn't touch any of that spiked juice?"

Ravio handed him a flat glare. "I don't drink." he replied stiffly. "I never have, and I never will."

His counterpart raised a brow. "Never's a long time. Just saying."

"There's a reason I don't drink anything remotely alcoholic. It's a genetic allergy. Besides, even if I could drink the stuff without myself violently ill, I don't want to end up like the Captain. No thank you."

Link was stunned. "Are you actually telling me you're _allergic_ to alcohol? Sheesh."

"Eh, it's not so bad. I don't care. Dad discovered it one day when I was … seven, I think? I can't remember. But anyway, he'd just lost one of his best friends in an avalanche. They must've known each other since they were our age. This guy was a treasure hunter – and he'd given Dad this beautifully white leather bound book be-" he trailed off in incredulous silence. "Oh you've got to be kidding me."

"Huh? What's so special about that book?" Link demanded. "I'm listening, I swear! I haven't fallen asleep yet!"

"Oh no, it's nothing." He shook his head. "I just realised something."

His counterpart smirked. "Oh, yeah? What?"

"I said it was nothing, okay? Now, shut up and let me finish. As I was saying, Dad had just lost his friend to an avalanche. This guy was frozen when they pulled him out. Occupational hazard, I suppose. Dad got so down about it that he found a barrel of apple cider that had been hiding in the basement and drank half it. Surprisingly."

"How in Din's name did he drink half it?! That's insane!"

Ravio chuckled. "Need I remind you that he was a Narbitt? Mum helped, I think. She could certainly drink when she wanted – not that it was good for her health or her reputation as a teacher."

Link sighed impatiently. "And? Apart from the fact that your family is downright bonkers – which we've already established – what happened?"

"Oh, Mum got a hangover and Dad couldn't go to work for weeks. Not the worst that could have happened - according the palace physician the alcohol could have poisoned Dad's system so fast it would have killed him. I spent most of the day after that looking after them. Almost torched Mum's teaching notes but that's beside the point."

His companion hummed thoughtfully. "So it's a Narbitt thing? Is your princess allergic too, d'you think?"

"Hilda? Nah, she's just a lightweight. To be expected I guess. The few Narbitts who weren't allergic couldn't handle much alcohol anyway. With Hil being so light on alcohol, even a few drops of wine would have her sprawled drunk. But a whole wineskin? Ooh boy."

Link sniggered at the memory. "I'm surprised you got the situation under control so fast."

He shrugged. "Soundproof barriers are an easy and safe way to make sure nothing embarrassing happens. Good thing Zelda took care of her from there – I finally had an excuse to track Vilen down and punch him in the face. I bet the Captain was too blind drunk to even notice he had a house guest."

"Probably." His counterpart agreed with a laugh.

Ravio sighed. "It took a lot of control for me to just leave him in the dungeon. I'm not sure if I'll be alright tomorrow. I channel too much magic when I'm angry and …"

"You're scared you're going to lose it?" Link asked.

"Well, yeah. I get really unstable and then I just shut down. I did it to the captain once and I almost killed him."

Link gaped at him. "Define 'shut down'."

"Automatic function. Void of emotion. That sort of thing. It's actually activated by my Triforce."

"Goddesses! Does Hilda know?"

"We-ell… yes, she does. I'm pretty sure she's the only one who can snap me out of it."

"It's that intense?"

Ravio scratched his head. "I do believe so, yes."

"Like, 'blow something up and not give a care' intense?"

"Uh-huh. It's freaky, honestly. I don't like to think about it," he confessed.

Link grimaced. "I don't blame you. And I don't blame you for almost killing the Captain, either."

"What scares me the most is that I had no control over my actions."

His voice was a mere whisper in the silence, and when he lifted his gaze to his counterpart's, he saw his horror and his pain reflected there. Link tugged wordlessly at his gloves, his eyes sliding to the fire. The mutuality made things easier, having someone who understood what you were going through, and had been through, but it didn't wipe the slate clean. It never did.

"That's the worst of being a hero." he said softly. "The scars you get. Not the physical, no, the emotional and mental ones. The ones which leave you paranoid that someone's going to murder you in your sleep and the ones where you wake screaming to the ghosts of those you left behind. The constant feeling of blood on your hands."

Ravio snorted miserably. "Isn't it ironic that most of us _heroes_ had shoddy pasts which left us just as scarred as our 'heroics'? The word shouldn't even exist – it's a misconception. None of us are heroes, not really. We don't deserve the fame and the glory."

Link's laughter was bitter. "The world wonders why we shy away from it all, don't they? It's so unfair. I just wanted to go back to the way my life was before, being the blacksmith's apprentice. I liked blacksmithing. It was systemic, it was ordered but most of all … it was _easy_. I didn't have to worry about when some monster would try and kill me next; it was just simple, repetitive work."

"Before you and Zelda restored our Triforce you couldn't rely on anybody – let alone the royal family, I'm sad to say. The only thing you could rely on was money. Money was the concrete thing in Lorule. I probably wouldn't have been a merchant in some other time, some other situation. A scholar, perhaps. I don't know."

"…And you don't care."

"No. I don't. But it makes you wonder, doesn't it?" he asked.

"Makes you wonder _what_ , exactly?"

"If the other heroes ever felt like this."

Link was more subdued than he'd ever seen him. "I'm sure they did."

That was why, the next day when Ravio returned from the dungeons in tears, Link let Hilda handle it; storming out and running the guards into the ground out of anger rather than necessity. He couldn't shake Ravio's words out of his head: "'If you want Vilen, you're going to have to scrape him off the walls yourself.'" That was why he talked to the Duke and Duchess of Reeping himself about seeing the former Ambassador's remains buried properly. It was the least he could do.

That night, two people cried themselves to sleep, unashamed, for there was no weakness in knowing sorrow. And after night had passed into daybreak, they woke to the stifled silence of their own terror. One snuck into see his princess, while the other's princess hurried to check on him. It was a small comfort, but one that wouldn't last.

* * *

 **Poor boys. It's tough. At least Vilen's dead. I'd originally planned to draw it out into the next chapter but... *shudders* I couldn't. It'd be like trying to write an emotionless void. As always, don't forget to review, favourite and follow. Or review if you've already done the other two.**

 **'Bye!**


	31. Part 2: Chapter 8

**Hi, everyone. Long time no see, huh? Like I said, I've been busy. Really busy. As in, hardly get any writing done busy. Which is really frustrating - unless you count those little oneshots I've done for another fandom. *sigh* I'm dedicated to this, guys, I really am. Life just gets in the way. Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Hilda stirred when Ravio stumbled out of bed, face tear-stained and exhausted. She jerked upright in an instant, shooting to her feet to help him. He protested, shaking his head weakly, but she scowled, and he relented, leaning his weight on her. It scared her how tired he was.

Murmured whispers filled his rooms like the constant lapping of the waters around Turtle Rock, and there were about as many sighs, too. His hands were shaking so much that she had to get the fastenings herself, keeping her voice as low and as gentle as possible. He was so shattered he stammered his way through his sentences, and his eyes were like emeralds coated in decades of dust.

Dull and empty. She hated when he got like this with a passion, petrified of the thought that he could bring her world down around her ears. No matter how hard he tried to hide it, no matter how much he laughed or joked around, it was always there.

The smoke and the fire. The ash and the tears. The little eight-year-old boy who'd dug his parents' graves, hardly able to recognise them for the people they'd once been. That same little boy who'd stumbled, starving and filthy, into a drying up river, turning the water to steam with burning tears.

She remembered the way her mother had frozen when they saw him later in the day, curled up in a miserable ball in a pool of water, covered in burns and angry, infected wounds. The rustle of fabric and grass had alerted him, head snapping to round to see what potential threat approached. His eyes had been living pools of fire – beautiful and dangerous.

The stiff formality in the way he'd greeted them, voice rustier than the frames of the grand portraits of the old kings and queens. Her mother's horror upon hearing his last name, the lone tear that escaped when he'd told brokenly of having to bury his own family. The fierceness of his hatred when he mentioned the suspected culprit, the darkening glint and feline way he grinned. There'd been something feral and ancient about him, and she couldn't deny her fascination.

His gentle impatience when he taught her the little things he'd picked up from his mother; the melodies and pianoforte, fingers ghosting over the keys with a grace that surprised her. His laughter as her father taught him how to play chess, deliberating fumbling and making a fool of himself just to make the big man bellow with laughter.

"I haven't seen that smile for years. What's got you so giddy?" he asked quietly.

She sighed as he passed her a teacup, cradling it gently. "Just memories," she replied.

"You're hopelessly sentimental," he grumbled. "But I love you for it."

"Ravio," she admonished. "You'd love me anyway. You can't go a day without seeing this beautiful face, remember?"

He snorted, rolling his eyes. "Hilda, please. You'd be lost without me, I can't leave."

"Oh?" she challenged. "I'd like to see that!"

He raised an eyebrow. "Okay then. Maybe I will test your sense of direction – see if you go right or left."

"Sense of direction? Oh, Farore, Ravio, that was terrible!" she complained.

"Of course my puns are terrible, I'm a Narbitt. It's part of the family trade."

There was a knock at the door, and they both grinned as two blonde heads peered around the edge, blue eyes gleaming in equal parts with mischief and exhaustion. Zelda's hair was a tumbled mess, Hilda noticed in delight, and Link's face seemed fit to split in two. So her research had paid off, then. Good.

Zelda's eyes narrowed in on the teapot and she scurried inside the apartment, nearly falling flat on her face when she tripped over nothing, and she was quick to grab her own cup of tea. Link chuckled as she grabbed a chair, plonking herself down and started drinking.

"Pity it's not coffee, hey Zel?" he asked, shutting the door behind him.

She stuck her tongue out at him. "Shut up. I feel sick, and it's all your fault."

He smirked. "Revenge is sweet, am I right?"

"I'm not a cat," she grumbled back. "I do _not_ purr!"

"You were purring mighty fine earlier, my dear."

Ravio choked on his drink, face turning a funny shade of purple. Hilda hummed curiously, but decided to leave the subject be – from her advisor's reaction, she gathered it was information she wouldn't _particularly_ want to know, but still. Wouldn't interesting to find out the story behind that tale?

"I gather it has something to do with Zelda and cats?" she queried 'innocently'.

Link scowled. "Yes. And that's all you need to know, Hilda. Period."

Ravio heaved a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Link. I don't need her getting any ideas – it's bad enough now."

"He's lying," she chirped. "He's like a cat himself; always craving attention. Isn't that right?"

"Shove a sock in it, Hil. Please!" he begged with a groan. "It's not funny, okay?"

She grinned, shaking her head at him. Link smirked, waggling his eyebrows and if looks could kill, Ravio would have done the same to Link. Grumbling something about 'romantically suicidal idiots' under his breath, he drained his teacup and stood up to pour himself another. Zelda's eyes nearly fell out of her head when she saw how much sugar and honey he put in the drink, and Hilda snorted. He was planning on pulling another all-nighter again, the cheeky bugger.

"Ravio, I hope all that sweetener is for your headache and lack of energy, not your all-night study sessions. I forbid you from doing that so close to an episode." she growled warningly.

"I really don't need sweeteners – I've got you for that," he replied with a smug grin.

"Raaviio!" she whined, folding her arms. "I'm serious here!"

"And you think I'm not?" he quipped.

"I know you are, you dork! But for goodness' sake, it can't be healthy!" she huffed.

"I have a job to do, Hilda. I can't neglect it."

Hilda ground her teeth in frustration. It appeared today was going to be one of _those_ days. Why they had to have this argument, she didn't know. But the one thing she did know about it was that it annoyed the heck of her. He always put his kingdom and his ruler before himself. Always. And it's not like you could teach someone how to be selfish either – it wasn't a subject that was teachable.

 _And run the risk of neglecting your princess?_ _That's not a great plan – trust me for once, Ravio._

All eyes swiveled to the Shade slouched by the desk, burgundy eyes hollowed out by some age-old emotion. He flicked his fingers, watching the fire spark into life and then splutter out again with a sigh. Ravio groaned, pulling himself out of whatever state he'd landed himself in to address the ghost, mouth twisted in a grimace.

"What do you want, Vion? And why must you show your face whenever something trashy happens?"

The Shade - Vion - shrugged. _It's kind of my job. I guess… I don't want anyone repeating my mistakes._

"Your mistakes?" Link queried. "What mistakes?"

Vion smirked. _My mistakes – the ones which eventually caused the Civil War. I was young and stupid-_

"And what?" Ravio demanded. "Please tell me you didn't try to find the Master Sword. Or forge it."

The Shade flinched; the answer as plain as day. There was a collective groan from the four living people in the room. _They_ all knew it couldn't be done. It just figures that some stuck-up centuries-old sour puss would have attempted it in his lifetime. Quite frankly, Hilda thought him to be an idiot. And somehow she knew she wasn't alone in that thought.

"Are you crazy? You can't just forge a Master Sword!" she exclaimed. "You'd need dragon flame, ridiculously strong magic and the blessing of the Goddess to even attempt it. And no, having a Triforce _piece_ doesn't count, in case you were wondering. You have to have the whole thing."

"Which isn't possible. Yuga has the third piece." Ravio added grimly.

Vion sighed. _I know all that now. I didn't at the time, but… Look, Ravio. The kingdoms have been thrown for a loop. If this all plays out wrong, it could all be nothing. There are only so many Narbitts to go around – don't be the one to get the worlds thrown for the loop where it goes the villain's way._ _Whatever_ _you do, don't get it thrown for_ _that_ _loop. If that means being selfish, well, be selfish._

And then he was gone. As much as Hilda hated to admit it, he was right. He was so right.

* * *

 **Oh, lovely. More problems. Not only do they have to sort out a funeral for Vilen, they also have to 'teach' Ravio how to relax. And to think this is the same guy who lay around in retirement three years ago. Contrast, much? He really needs to balance himself out.** **Don't forget to say something if you liked it, and I guess this is goodbye until next time.**

 **See ya!**


	32. Part 2: Chapter 9

**School. Ugh. Why? But, currently on holidays (short break), so I'll update this a few times, okay? I'm not leaving this to rot, no way, not when I've got so far. I have two more books to write for this series - plus a couple of oneshots/short stories. I love these characters too much. Enjoy the chapter!**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

Ravio wound his fist back again and continued punching the wall, ignoring how his hand throbbed with pain. He'd broken at least one bone, probably more, but he didn't care. It may have not been _him_ torturing Vilen but he'd still allowed his control to slip. What in the Dark Realm made him think he could handle it? He was insane. Utterly, Goddess-damned, insane. The guy was dead because of him.

"Idiot," he snarled. "Bloody, _freaking_ , idiot."

His magic roared at the slightest touch, and he dropped to his knees as it slammed out of him. He glared at the symbol on the back of his right hand, wishing that it wasn't there. Seriously, who in their _right_ mind would give a broken person like him such a powerful object? Farore sure had strange taste in champions. Every single hero in history was broken in one way or another. And he was just the next one on the casualty list. Oh, this was just great. So, so, totally, not great. At all.

Pushing himself upright again, he swiped at the hot tears angrily, snarling to himself. He was standing in a circle of ash ten metres in diameter, surrounded by buckled stone and steel. Though it wasn't the Dark Palace anymore, the name still stuck. He came here to train whenever he didn't need an audience … and whenever he felt like throwing himself off a cliff. Or maybe the top of the palace. Yeah, that was about right. The top of the palace would be high enough to kill him – provided instinct didn't override his death wish. He _was_ a survivor, after all. _He just couldn't die._

"Ravio?" Link's voice echoed as it bounced off the walls. "I know you're here."

"What do you want?" he yelled. "Leave me alone, Link!"

"No. We could see the flames from the palace. What happened?"

"I punched a wall. It blew up in my face."

"Please tell me you're joking."

"Link, would I lie? My hand feels like it was run over by a Moblin. I'm not joking."

His counterpart's blonde head appeared round the nearest corner, and blue eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. He watched, numb, as Link inched his way towards him, a deep frown crumpling his forehead. Ash crunched beneath his boots; remains of panicked monsters and stiff hedges, and the metal sang when Link got near it. Not smouldered, sang. Blue-hot instead of white.

"Ravio, what happened here?"

"I told you, Link, I punched a wall and it blew up in my face."

"I'm serious."

"So am I."

Strangled laughter. "Brother, you need a break. This is killing you."

"What part of it? The depression, the death wish, the pressure or the burden?"

"All of it, Ravio. You know what, I actually miss the goofball who skipped about borrowing people's houses 'for a short while' and was so full energy he'd randomly start singing. I miss that guy."

He sighed, blinking ash out of his eyes. "That guy was a runaway in the truest sense of the word."

"That may be true, but c'mon. You're still you, buddy. Hilda'd kill if you left her alone in this place."

"Okay, I was lying. I didn't _just_ punch _one_ wall – it was multiple."

Link raised an eyebrow, smirking. "I can see that. How do you melt _stone_? This is nuts."

"Same way _you_ kill someone. My hand is mangled, I'm telling you."

Link approached him as he lifted it up, grimacing at the jagged bolts of pain that coursed down his arm. His counterpart swore softly, lifting his pouch over his head and pulling out a bottle and a bandage, blue eyes darkening with anger. He knew what he was thinking – he was an idiot. He knew that. Of course he did.

A high-pitched jingling sound filled the air as Link pulled the stopper from the bottle, and Ravio sighed in defeat. He _supposed_ the situation called for a fairy. The pink-ish orb fluttered out, circling around Link, and for all appearances, _scolding_ him. Ravio shrugged. Fairies. He never did understand them.

Still, he was relieved when the creature zipped over to him. It hovered in front of his eyes, before drifting down to his injured hand. With a disappointed air, it repaired the damage before settling on Link's shoulder, tiny arms crossed in disgust. Well, who knew? Fairies had attitude. Not him, for sure.

"You keep a pet fairy?" he queried with a chuckle.

"You keep a pet magic 'feather duster'. Why not a fairy? Sheerow doesn't act like a torch."

"I don't need a torch. Fire magic, remember?"

"Oh, shut up. She was a 'gift' from the Great Fairies for saving Hyrule. Kept her with me ever since."

Ravio poked him in the shoulder. "In a bottle? How cruel."

"Not usually. She hides in my hat most of the time. Hence Irene's floating hat joke."

"I'm not surprised. This is Irene we're talking about after all."

Link nodded. "Heading back soon, or what?"

He shrugged. "Yeah, sure. I want to test Zelda's 'skill' at chess."

A shudder passed through his counterpart. "If you're game. She's crafty."

"Hilda's the same. And yet she _hates_ chess. With a burning passion, too."

"How hot are we talking here? Combustible?"

Ravio shoved him lightly, shaking his head. "Shut up, will you? It's not that funny."

"Ah, ah, ah, Advisor. If it's not funny why are your ears red?"

"…That's for an entirely different reason, _General_. Just shut up already!"

Link cackled, skipping ahead of him, and Ravio groaned. He didn't need his counterpart thinking gutter-ward; _especially_ when _that_ hadn't been what he had been thinking about at all. No. Nope, most definitely not. Seriously, had the Hyrulean General even considered the phrasing of that sentence?

"Hey, Raaviio. What're you thinking about?"

"How fun it would be to push you into the river right now," he snapped.

"Ooh, simmer down why don't you?"

"What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing." Link replied. "Just wondering something, that's all."

"Well," he grumbled, "that's _not_ nothing. What is it?"

His counterpart pretended to ponder something, eyes gleaming with pent-up mischief and delight. Ravio felt his heart sink in dismay. There was no way this would be good. This was Link he was talking about. It definitely wouldn't be good. Most definitely not.

"Is your princess a good kisser?"

Ravio glared at him. "First of all, she's _not_ 'my' princess. Secondly, what does it matter to you? It's none of your business if she is or isn't. Now shut up before I really do push you in the river."

"Just answer the question and I'll leave you alone. Besides, I think you'd better correct yourself there – Hilda is _yours_ , brother. No if, buts or maybes about it. Related or not, there's fireworks, Ravio."

"Oh fine. Yes. She is, okay? You happy now?"

Link shrugged. "I was hoping for you to want to prove it. …Dammit."

"At least I'm not going to be the one with illegitimate heirs."

"Well I-"

He broke off when Ravio started laughing, realised what he'd almost admitted to and swore. Rather loudly. He was still swearing as he chased his counterpart all the way back to the castle, Ravio grinning so much his face hurt. Honestly, Link was an idiot sometimes. And it was hilarious.

So utterly, completely hilarious it would have been a joke in itself. Almost, anyway. Almost.

* * *

 **Boys. Don't kill anyone with your stupidity, please? Still, they happen to be teenage boys and there's not much else we can expect from them. XD They're idiots, you know? And poor Ravio, dealing with more issues. Guilt complex + depression + PSTD + workaholic tendencies? Disaster. Poor guy.**

 **Don't forget to follow/favourite and or review and I'll see ya later, alligators!**

 **'Bye!**


	33. Part 2: Chapter 10

**Next update: In which the boys get up to mischief with dragon's breath and pointy metal toothpicks. XD Oh, and did I mention that the Captain gets thrown through a wall? ...Sadly, it's not stone - Link's not that cruel. What, d'you think Ravio'd do it? Hah! Hilda'd strangle him if he so much as tried!**

 **Enjoy the chapter!**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

Link glared at the new hole in the stable wall, fingers slowly itching towards his sword, which was currently strapped to his back. To this day he was still amazed at how far he could throw someone when angered; and the answer was pretty far. About ten metres or so. Cold blue eyes bore holes in the drunk Captain's skull and he stopped himself short of drawing his sword. That would do him no good.

"So you did throw the bastard through a wall after all. Just; why the stables?"

He spun around, unsheathing his sword out of pure reflex. Ravio raised an eyebrow, chuckling, and jumped down from the wall he'd been perching on. Link frowned at him, but returned his sword to its scabbard with an irritated huff. It wasn't that funny – you should never sneak up on a battlefield veteran. They could kill you without meaning to; the fighting long ingrained to the point of instinct.

"Wood's easier replaced than stone," he replied crisply. "And being thrown through stone can kill."

"I suppose. But so can being roasted alive." His voice was matter-of-fact.

Link grimaced. "Sorry."

Ravio waved him away. "Don't worry about it. I'm the one joking about it."

"That was a joke?" he asked dumbly. "You have a strange sense of humour."

"It's a Narbitt thing. Kind of commonplace. But you on the other hand…"

His lips quirked. "Yeah, I know. Inappropriate at the best of times. It's a defence mechanism."

Ravio regarded him with a smirk. "You don't say? I thought just a Lindak thing."

He shrugged. "Got no clue, to be honest. Hyrule's got more Shades than Lorule, after all."

"Well, that's true. But why bring the Shades up now? I mean, don't you have any family?"

Link shook his head. "Apart from Zel? None living. And Zelda's not exactly the … best example of sanity, either. I know I'm not entirely sane, but she takes it to a whole new level of crazy, y'know? I just-"

"Need a break? Yeah, me too. Want to spar it out?"

"Hilda's going to have your head, bro. Sparring? Are you crazy?" he demanded.

"Not as much as you might think, General. I'm allowed to – it stops me from causing a scene."

"And help to High Realms, Ravio, you're good at doing that."

"Oh, shut up. You can't talk."

"Whaddya mean I can't talk? I'm talking right now, am I not?"

Ravio groaned. "If you're going to be a jerk, the entrance to the castle is back that way."

His counterpart pointed past the wall towards the entrance into the castle, sighing theatrically. Link ignored him, cracking his knuckles instead and rolled his eyes. He never knew what to expect with Ravio. Not only was the guy a mixed bag of signals, he had to be one of the most confusingly complex people he'd ever met. And that was saying something – even Impa wasn't Ravio's level of complicated.

"I wasn't!" he replied. "I was having a go at you, you silly goose! Lighten up!"

Ravio's lips quirked into a small smile. "If I were to 'lighten up', General, I'd be setting myself on fire."

Link groaned. "Oh sweet Farore, you're confusing. You know what?"

"What? That you're an idiotic moron?"

"No, Ravio. I'll take you up on that sparring match. You ready to get shown down?"

He smirked. "If you're ready on hand with at least ten buckets of water, yeah."

Link glared at him. He was serious, wasn't he? Still, he was dealing with a fire mage and a Narbitt, no less. From what he understood, the Narbitts were always highly capable. While his family grew into their courage like a slumbering beast awakening from a dark sleep; the Narbitts' roared into life like wildfire.

When their courage awoke… they were ready, whether they thought they were or not. A Lindak had to learn to adapt through fight after fight; a Narbitt thought on their feet and acted with what they had. Their minds worked faster than their reflexes; honed sharper than a knife with constant use.

He wasn't going into this match against a novice. Ravio was comfortable in his own skin; with his own power and on his own turf. He'd be tough to beat when they actually stopped messing around. While he relished the looming challenge, he knew he wouldn't be holding back at all. Ravio was a Narbitt, after all.

Eyeing the buckets of water lined up along the wall, Link turned to face his counterpart. "Ready?"

Ravio stretched languidly, arching his back. Link closed his eyes, hand slowly drifting towards his sword as he slipped into his 'Hero' mindset. He wasn't the Hero of Hyrule for nothing - about time he proved it.

"You're going to get burned doing that, Lindak," Ravio called with a chuckle.

He took a deep breath in. "Try me."

Ravio's wall of fire singed the tips of his fringe as he flipped backwards, eyes snapping open. His opponent may be a fellow bearer of Courage, a Narbitt and his best friend, but he'd have to up his A-game to beat him. Blue eyes met green through dancing flames, and Link smirked; stomping his heel down on the ground. Time to up the ante just a bit. Not too much, not too little – just right.

The familiar burst of speed had him through the barrier and charging Ravio head on, sword marking a path through the air as he passed him by. He saw, out of the corner of his eye, Ravio's eyes narrow and braced himself for whatever was coming at him. Bearer versus bearer, friend versus friend – the best kind of sparring match. The one with any kind of outcome; and no clear winner. This was going tough.

He skidded to a stop, his back against the cool stone of the old wall. Ravio's next attack had him diving to one side as what could be described as a punch of a fireball slammed into the wall beside him. Damn, Ravio was fast – faster than he'd anticipated. It was too dangerous to try the same tactic twice.

Whipping his shield out, he winced as another fireball collided with the resilient metal. Thank goodness for quick reflexes and battle-hardened instincts. This started a barrage of fire, one after the other; boom, boom, boom. Like a stack of falling books; or a crumbling tower. And then he dug his heels in.

If someone had been watching, it would have been like being privy to a sophisticated dance. Link advanced, Ravio fell back to defend himself; Ravio turned the tables on Link as friendly insults flew across the courtyard. Fire swirled around them like wind from a tornado, leaving black scorch marks and shards of glass in its wake. It bounced off gleaming steel, aged, heavy-duty metal built for the toughest of challenges life – and fate – could throw at a person. And yet, they were having fun, strangely enough.

"I've gotta say, Link, you don't make it easy for yourself, do ya?" Ravio joked.

"Look who's talking, bookworm!" he shot back. "Nice to see you can actually fight!"

"Oh? Is that what this is, huh? Well, it's your funeral!"

He pretended to ponder the statement. "Nah, I don't plan on dying for a long time yet. Think again!"

Ravio paused, laughing. "Okay, okay, I'm worn out – but I think I needed it."

Link chuckled, dropping his guard with a relieved sigh. "Me too. You sure put up a fight, buddy."

"Yuga's going to have a big surprise, isn't he?"

He smirked. "He won't know what hit him."

His counterpart nodded, scanning his surroundings in puzzled awe. Crouching down, he ran his fingers through the ash-and-sand mixture, frowning as tiny crystalized shards fell through his fingers. Picking up a sizeable piece of glass, he held it up to the light, his frown deepening as he studied the clear shard.

Link sighed. "Ravio. Go find something to do that _doesn't_ involve locking yourself in a room full of books. Okay, you've let off some steam; you're less stressed. Don't add to it again, for Farore's sake!"

"Common sense: coming from you? Contradictory, much?"

"Shut up. I'm serious – don't be stupid."

"I could always go find a pianoforte, I suppose..."

"Ravio! I don't care what you _do_ ; as long you aren't near that damn library! Just go!" he snapped.

Rolling his eyes, Ravio got back to his feet and, brushing the ash off, started towards the castle entrance. Link narrowed his eyes – he wasn't getting away with anything. He'd make sure his counterpart found a pianoforte or elsewise he'd throw him in the moat himself. A little payback, but what was due was due.

* * *

 **Ravio, Ravio, Ravio. Don'tcha see? They're worried about you; they need you. Learn to live a little (which, admittedly, is something a certain General could learn to live without.) Anyways, the usual still stands: favourite/follow & review!**

 **See ya next time!**


	34. Part 2: Chapter 11

**Thanks to SmileyXs Ice-cream Sprinkles and DalekDavros for the favourites and onto the chapter! See if you can figure out which songs they're talking about later - all ones you should know but not the way you probably know them in. And strangely enough, all from a certain time in history. Enjoy!**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

Hilda woke in the middle of the night to a sound from her childhood; and there was only one person in the castle who knew how to play the pianoforte. Glancing out her window, she dimly registered that it was three in the morning – she'd kill him for this later, she knew – but the faint melody had buried itself in her blood, and there was no way she'd go back to sleep now. This song ... she knew it. It was familiar.

Simple at first glance, originally composed to be played on a flute or harp, but transcribed to both an ocarina and the pianoforte as time progressed. A series of five notes, with both higher and lower variations; speeding up and slowing down as the song wore on. Four, if you were playing it on ocarina.

Humming quietly along, she ran a comb through her tangled locks and threw a cloak around her shoulders. Her steps were loose and light as she walked across her bedchamber towards the door leading out into the main room. Grabbing a lantern with one hand, she wished – not for the first time – for Ravio's gift of magic. It would be so very useful in situations like this. A snap of her fingers, and _light_.

The glow of the lantern cast warm shadows over the moon-bedecked room, the metal objects glowing silver in the pale reflection of the moon's face. A twinkle of gold caught her eye and she let out a triumphant hiss of delight; she'd found the last remaining thing she'd been searching for. Her harp.

Bare feet sank into plush red carpet as she tiptoed down the corridor towards the stairs, flinching at her harp's discordant jangle as her arm bumped against the wall. She stopped, ears twitching as she listened for any sign of the visitors stirring, but there was none. The stone was worn and cool as her fingertips brushed it, nearly blind in the darkness despite the lantern she carried – she could never be too careful.

The flight of stairs opened into a much larger corridor; again she stopped and waited. The sound was slightly clearer now, and she grimaced at the prospect of going up the cold, polished marble staircase looming out of the shadows at the end of the hall. Oh, how much fun this was going to be. She'd have to go through the guests' 'wing' of the castle to reach the ballroom that was her destination. So much fun.

Gritting her teeth at each tiny sound, Hilda inched her way up the stairs, cringing at the feeling of polished stone beneath her feet. It was really too cold for three in the morning. To make matters worse, she kept fearing she'd slip and fall flat on her face ... a disastrous position to end up in at any time of day, but even more so considering the particular hour. She'd probably die of embarrassment.

"Well, there are worse things to die of, I suppose," she murmured to herself. "Poison, for one."

For goodness' sake, she'd rather get shot than die of poisoning. Even death by _Yuga's_ hand would be better than death by poison. And that wasn't exactly high on the list, either. Far from it. There were too many disgusting and horrifying ways the madman could drag it out, and each possibility made her sick. No, she just wanted to live a long, happy life and die knowing she'd left her kingdom and its people in a better place than they were in before her time; both as princess and queen of the land. It'd be nice.

Taking a gulp of air, she let her shoulders slump as she shrank into the warmth of the cloak. It was so warm compared to the stairs behind her. Her feet felt half-frozen; she should have probably put slippers on before starting the search for her harp, but there was no way she was going straight back down those Din-forsaken marble steps right now. It might not be winter, but they sure felt like ice to her.

Relieved and very much comforted by the feeling of plush carpet again underfoot, Hilda continued on. All was quiet in the castle, minus the soft sound of pianoforte music and the slightest murmurings of regular old castle white noise. Like water fountains; and the occasional noise from the stables. Horses. And the loud, echoing sound of a door shutting behind someone as they closed it.

Hilda nearly jumped out of her skin in fright when she met the person's gaze. "Zelda! You scared me!"

A sheepish gleam of teeth in the darkness. "Sorry, Hilda. I heard something and thought I'd investigate."

"Yeah, it was me. And wouldn't it make more sense to leave that to Link? You know since he's-"

She clicked her tongue thoughtfully. "Nah. This is way more fun. Besides, he's still asleep."

"...I'm not even going to ask how you know that."

Zelda giggled softly. "That's probably best, yes. So ..."

"So ... what?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What's got you up so late? Isn't that Ravio's thing?"

"The music," she replied simply. "To the both of us; music is our heritage."

Zelda's nose scrunched in thought. "Music? Wouldn't that be magic, instead?"

She shook her head. "No – music is the lifeblood of the kingdom. It's saturated in it."

Zelda fell into step with her as she kept walking, skirts swishing as she lengthened her pace to keep up. To Hilda's envy, the blonde's hair wasn't a complete rat's nest, but brushed her shoulder blades in slight disarray. Her ears caught a swell of sound and she hummed along softly, nodding to the beat.

"So magic is intertwined with music and vice versa?" Zelda asked in a curious whisper.

A faint smile. "Yes – how many _magical_ musical pieces do you know? The Song of Time is one."

"The Songs of the Sages, the Forest Daughter's Ballad, the Lullaby of the Sheikhan Princess..."

"...and many more scattered throughout Hyrulean history. The Song of Storms, the Rancher's Balm..."

"Yes. How did you know? They're Hyrulean-specific melodies."

"I'm a musician, Zelda. It's natural for me to learn about another kingdom's musical history. Handy during talks such as this one too – allows them to connect with the Lorulean people on a deeper level."

"Ah, how clever. I never would have thought of it."

She chuckled at that. "I know."

"Hey! It's not polite to laugh; even if I did set myself up for it!" Zelda protested in annoyance.

"...Whoops."

Hilda grinned impishly as she knocked once on the little ballroom door, the music from within nearly deafening the sound of her heartbeat in her ears. Shifting her harp in her arms, she pushed the door open and stepped inside, carpet giving way to polished timber floors and warm golden firelight.

He sat with his back to them, fingers flying over the keys in an elegant dance even she could not match. Ribbons of his magic looped around the room in delicate, slow swirls, glowing gold as the music pulsed through them. Ravio didn't acknowledge their presence; just as absorbed in the song as she was.

Adjusting her stance, Hilda closed her eyes and let her fingers drift over the strings as she surrendered herself up to the music that now ran tapered fingers down her spine, enticing pleased shivers of delight. Crystal clear notes rang out like a tolling bell; the first bar of a song entrenched in Lorule's history.

Only because she expected it did she hear him stumble, wincing sympathetically as his fingers hit the keys in a misstep. It took him less than a second to recover from the surprise, however, and she marvelled at how natural he made it look – like it was all a part of his performance; all part of the plan.

"A musician of your calibre couldn't resist the pull, surely?" The question was a murmur of words.

She felt a smile tug at her lips. "Advisor Narbitt, you know that feat is impossible. I'm a Lorealu."

"And if you possess even a drop of Lorealu blood, the magic in you will answer..."

"Whether that be physical or emotional – the stars are fixed in place and cannot fall, oh no."

"No artist's brush can erase their light from the sky, for however they stay, they stay forever."

Hilda burst into a fit of giggles at Ravio's knowing smirk when he caught sight of Zelda standing slack-jawed behind them. He kept playing, and Hilda picked up speed as she reached the riff; her fingers sliding down the strings in a slow descent before jumping back up again. It was a sound one would relate to cascading water ... or falling stars. Very symbolic and perhaps a little cryptic in true Musician style.

" _No matter how dark the dawn o'er the horizon; no matter how dark the dawn~"_ she murmured softly.

She jumped in shock at the sound of an underlying ocarina melody – one she recognised as the Song of Storms – and her eyes snapped to Zelda. The Hyrulean had her eyes closed, a blue ocarina raised to her lips as she played. It couldn't be... could it? The fabled instrument was lost to the very thing it wielded.

A rumble of thunder sounded in the distance and Hilda flinched as a sudden rainstorm dashed itself against the windows. It was; it _was_. She spotted the golden Triforce near the mouthpiece and her eyes widened further. That was the Ocarina of Time; of which she had no doubt. It couldn't be anything else.

And as the last remaining notes of the song faded ... a quiet peace took its place. It was three in the morning, but like always, the music worked its magic and Hilda found herself quietly confident that no matter what lay ahead of them in these next days, it would all come and go like a storm; thunder or no.

* * *

 **Some character/relationship building between the two Princesses - they have a very different dynamic from their heroes. It's more of a mutual friendship than the brotherly bond Link and Ravio share. Two halves of the same coin; light and shadow, sure, but two halves all the same.**

 **Favourite, Follow and Review; I'll see you next time!**

 **'Bye!**


	35. Part 2: Chapter 12

**Only three more chapters to go in Part Two, people! And trust me, that last one? Epic. You're gonna love it. Full on, all out... the characters at their best yet. This is one of my favourite chapters - you gotta dig to find the 'serious' stuff but hey. That's how I roll. The boys will be boys, too, I suppose.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The door to the library opened and Ravio spared a glance from the growing collection of old texts around him to see who it was. Shoving his chair back, he closed his notebook with a snap and grimaced. Oh, boy. He wasn't looking forward to this. He was plagued by guilt enough as it was.

Hilda watched him quietly, and beside her, Link stood with his hands shoved in his pockets, those ever-so-familiar shadows obscuring the life in his friend's eyes. It wasn't just a reminder to him, but to everyone here and it hurt to know that he had injured them – all of them, even without meaning to.

Subconsciously, he straightened to his full height and steeled himself for what was ahead. It wasn't going to be easy; recounting the events of Vilen's torture and subsequent death for the coroner's report was his full responsibility and his alone. No matter what the decision, he'd accept it. It had been an accident; and he would readily admit he allowed his emotions to get the better of him.

"Brother, know that we hold you not at fault for this," Link muttered. "It wasn't you who killed him."

"Who did then, General Lindak?" he queried bitterly. "Who then; if not me?"

"Advisor Narbitt." The Duchess' voice was soft and gentle – pitying even – as she entered the room.

"Duchess Mora, what can I do for you?"

"In order to prepare for Shadark Vilen's funeral, we need to know how he died, as I'm sure you know."

"That I do," he replied stiffly. "Be warned though, the details are gruesome at best."

"You were angry," Link commented.

"I had every reason to be, General. He'd threatened and harmed both the reputation and the life of my ruler - really, he was lucky that wasn't me he decided to do that to; I could have died. And he ignored an _express_ decree from the Princess herself to stay _the hell out_ of the kingdom of Lorule. I had every right."

"Ravio," His Princess' voice held a warning note. "For your own safety, I need you to remain calm."

It was true – his hands had slowly curled into fists and even without realising it he'd dropped into defensive stance. Complete with wisps of smoke for dramatic effect and he could tell his eyes were doing that thing they did when he was angry. His pupils shrank slightly and his eyes glowed just so.

Eerie as it was; it was intimidating, and that wasn't what he wanted by any means. "My apologies,"

The corner of her mouth tipped up. "Apology accepted."

"Noted. May I suggest we continue this investigation someplace else? Namely away from highly flammable and precious documents which are not replaceable and contain over a thousand years' worth of history? I'd have a vengeful ghost on my tail if I torched them – and yes, I'm a scholar. Big deal."

That got a smirk out of Link, for sure. "Bookworm."

"Puppy dog," he shot back. "You're still scared of that kitty-cat, aren't you?"

He huffed, lip sticking out in a pout. "What are you talking about? I'm not scared of her!"

"Yeah, yeah, keep telling yourself that. Just know I'm going to laugh if she flies into a rage and you bolt."

"Oh, is it so?"

"Mm-hmm. It is. I wouldn't be surprised if you locked yourself in a cupboard or something."

"Hey! Take that back, you coward!"

"Look who's talking, you Cuckoo. Why don't you make me?"

They were fighting words and out of the corner of his eye, he saw his Princess drag a hand over her face in exasperation. Well, hey, whoops – too late to stuff them back in his mouth, wasn't it?

"You, sir, you, have nineteen seconds. Better make the most of them, mmm?"

Ravio vaulted the desk one-handed and landed poised to run. Three seconds down. His eyes scanned the room for possible exit routes and the door of the library yawned open like a cavern mouth. Gotcha. Winking mischievously at his counterpart, he darted forward, and flipping the catch on Link's sword belt, let it fall to the ground with a clatter. Seven more seconds gone - nine seconds left to go.

"Indeed. Have fun catching up, brother. And cheating's against the rules; you know that. So don't."

He took off, skidding through the door and out into the corridor, boots slipping as he righted himself. Throwing the three of them a cheerful, and cheeky, salute, he continued towards the stairs, cackling in wicked delight as Link barrelled after him, sword belt and respective weapon now back in place. It had been a good idea; bought him the precious seconds he needed for his head start. He was faster, after all.

And it was made all that much better by Hilda's disgruntled comment similar to something like: "Stupid boys; they're going to get themselves' killed one day; I thought they were nineteen, not nine." It was pure _gold_. The Duchess laughed to herself and he grinned, pleased with the results of his antics. _Success_!

Banter aside, once they got down to business it all boiled over pretty quickly. He kept as brief as he possibly not wanting to have to put his friends through the whole analytical breakdown; and not wanting to have to relive the whole ordeal either. He scared himself when he really thought about it.

Duchess Mora regarded him with a wary sort of respect when he'd at last finished speaking and stopped moving, having taken to pacing the length of the room during his explanation. It kept him from thinking too hard about his actions; and on a complete side note, also prevented him from spontaneously combusting. Yes, that was possible.

"Your Princess wasn't kidding – it was no exaggeration, was it?"

He shook his head. "No ma'am. She's not one prone to exaggeration, and it was a serious matter."

Hilda raised a hand to half-hide a giggle. "That was rhetorical, dearest Advisor."

His lips quirked into a smile. "I know. But manners dictate a reply anyway. Do they not, Princess?"

"Oh, hush, you. There's no need to be so _smart_."

An innocent tilt of the head that was anything but. "I'm confused; I thought you liked me that way?"

Hilda spluttered and coughed, his words slowly worming their way through her brain. He couldn't but grin at her; a wicked grin little of sly delight, as she turned away and buried her head in her hands. Link was trying – and failing miserably – to mask his laughter, and even Duchess Mora looked faintly amused.

"Ravio, for Farore's sake, stop grinning at me like that! It's not funny!"

"...Oh, but it is. What do you think about this, Link?"

"Personally, I find all this rather hilarious. You've got her backed into a corner." Link chuckled.

"At least it's not a wall." _This time._

"Sounds like quite a tale to that, buddy. Promise me you tell it sometime?"

Hilda's ears were burning scarlet, and Ravio chuckled as he wandered over to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. Sighing at the amount of tension he found there, he began to trace small circles over her shoulder blades with his thumbs. She froze beneath his touch, stifling a silent intake of air. So, so tense.

"...Ravio... need I remind you we have company?" Her words were jilted and hardly audible.

"I'm aware of that, sweet Princess. But I also have a job to do; as do you and you can't do that like this."

He matched her tone easily, voice dropping to a level comfortable between the two of them. As in, barely above levels of subsonic hearing. It had long since been drilled into them that they would have each other's backs when no-one else did. That meant them fine-tuning their hearing to a certain frequency only they could hear – and then project to those around them if they needed to. It was an age-old trick shared between the members of their family ... all the way back to where it all began.

"'Like this'?" she repeated.

"Tense, my dear." he murmured. "I need you to trust me and _relax_."

"Will I ... see you later? All of this driving me crazy."

"Later. I promise." His lips hovered mere centimeters away from her ear; he felt her shiver. Goddesses.

Link regarded him curiously when he stepped back and headed towards the door. His counterpart understood with just a single glance and fell into step beside him, slinging an arm around his shoulders. The funeral was scheduled a week from now and he needed to unwind a little, burn off some of the buckling pressure of the magic in his veins. Good thing he could count on Link as a sparring partner.

* * *

 **Subsonic hearing? Yeah, that's a thing. At least, it is now. Anyway, the usual applies - and I'll be back soon with Chapter Thirteen of Part Two!**

 **'Bye!**


	36. Part 2: Chapter 13

**Thanks to Celestia's Paladin for the favourite and the follow; and many thanks to Ander Arias for their thirteen reviews plus the follow and favourite. It's much appreciated. So ... Chapter Thirteen, huh? And a rare one, considering it's from Zelda's perspective. Oh boy. Hilda's really running out of patience for this whole treaty thing - she's getting a little wild. Well, this can't (read: should) be good. Welp.**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

Zelda rested her chin in her palm, watching from above as the two bearers of Courage entered the courtyard below. The smooth marble railing was cool beneath her fluttering fingertips, ghosting through a melody that she instinctively sought out in the late morning air – a curious medley of harp and ocarina. But it was no less beautiful all the same – the notes rising and falling like beams of sunlight in her mind.

"The Prelude of Light," she murmured. "Inheritance of the first Sage of Hyrule."

"Quite so, Zelda."

A brilliant thread lit up, a high note ringing out at the close proximity of Wisdom's cousin piece; and she smiled without turning her head. Her counterpart did not need fanfare to announce her presence to her; she knew anyway. Hilda's silence spoke volumes even when she did not have the need to.

"Hilda."

"I thought I'd find you here, somehow."

"Oh? Or was it just your 'other half'?"

"I'm not the one with a lack of self-control,"

Laughter from the courtyard; and she looked down to find Link grinning up at her, before throwing her a cheerfully mocking salute. Ravio, meanwhile, had his head titled to one side, eyebrows raised knowingly. Then, just to put the icing on the cake, he snapped his fingers – the message clear: _burn_. So busted.

She flipped them off with a roll of her eyes. "Yeah, whatever. He's a jerk, anyway."

Hilda chuckled darkly, smirk sliding into place. "Your history tells me otherwise, girl."

"Which one? The long or the short one?" she replied coolly.

"I was thinking the roundabout, lock 'em in the cupboard one, actually; but sure. That works."

"What?! Hilda, that's-" she spluttered in horror.

"-Outrageous? Ridiculous? Insane?" she paused, tapping a finger against her lips. "Ooh, how 'bout this?"

"Hilda, _please_."

"True? Sorry, there's no denying it, _Princess_. You're officially off the rails – gotta watch those claws."

Link's voice floated up, his amusement made very, _very_ clear. "Ooh, look out! Royal catfight!"

"Link! Shut up!" she snapped back, scowling. "Or else I'll do it for you!"

"...Thanks a million for proving me right, Zelda. Cheers." Her counterpart laughed again.

Zelda could only watch in flabbergasted silence as Hilda spun on her heel, dark locks slapping her in the face as she turned; and marched away, throwing a carelessly smug wink over her shoulder as she left. Okay... what in the name of the Dark Realm was _that_ about? Because she had _no_ idea whatsoever.

Her attention turned back to the courtyard, and the sparring match that had just begun. They were still laughing, making half-hearted passes at each other as they found their rhythm, and well, it was pretty spectacular. Even without them trying all that hard – it was captivating to watch how they did it.

Bias had no play here – Ravio and Link were evenly matched; giving and gaining ground in turn to the other's attack. The ground rules were simple: treat it as a real battle, with real risks and consequences. Anything could happen. Short of serious injury, that is. Hilda would strangle them both if that happened.

Ravio jumped over a low slice aimed at his legs, following through with the momentum as he turned the action into a neat backflip. He landed in a crouch, hair ruffled by the passing breeze of Link's sword overhead. How he'd seen that coming Zelda had no clue – or perhaps he hadn't at all. It was Ravio.

"You're going to have to try harder than that, Link." An off-hand comment, spoken without thinking.

"Do I look like I want a death sentence?" Link retorted.

Ravio snorted in dismal. "That's what you're going to get if you don't get your act into gear. Hit me."

The sword hadn't even passed the half-way mark before he dropped, throwing a hand up as if to catch the blade. He didn't, of course, but the resulting burst of magic knocked Link's sword from his hand and sent it clattering to the ground. Link didn't think twice, but he wasn't fast enough – the impact sent him flying backwards. Into the wall. Quite literally – she could see his magic react from where she stood.

She didn't understand how Link's magic worked, particularly the specifics of it, but even to her it was unusual. A foreign ability, given in as equally foreign circumstances, leaking into his blood each time he used to until it was a permanent regenerative source of power in his system, well, permanently.

Still, what he did next was pretty darn impressive. As fireball after fireball slammed into the surface of the stone, he flipped backwards along the wall, closer and closer to his sword. It was a happy accident that Ravio's next 'punch' collided with where he crouched, but even that didn't seem to faze him.

Instead, he used his energy to slide beneath the spray of stone fragments, one hand stretched out behind him as he grabbed his sword with the other. A quick roll to the left, and he was pulling his bow out of that limitless pouch of his. Arrow knocked, quiver slung across his hip, clean shot straight through ... and it was knocked off course mid-air as another arrow slammed into it. Zelda gasped, eyes widening.

Link swore. "Okay, I'm calling an official load of crap. Who fired that?"

"Yours truly, _General_."

Three heads whipped towards the opposite wall; where Hilda stood, one hand braced on her hip. The other held a bow, and a rather fine one at that. Compared to it, Link's almost looked like a child's toy. The bow was all sleek lines and screams of silent power; just like the person who carried it. It was a fair assessment to say that Princess Hilda Lorealu looked nothing like a princess in that moment.

She was dressed in hunter's gear, forgoing her usual skirts and petticoat for a more practical tunic and pair of pants; normal shoes and regalia for soft leather boots and armoured cloak. Capable of handling her own without batting an eyelash. Tossing her hood back, she grinned down at their startled faces.

"... _Damn_. This is where you _really_ need a Pictograph Box." Ravio muttered, jaw agape.

Hilda sighed. " _Move_ , Link. Or else my next shot goes through your shoulder."

It very nearly did. Link moved to draw an arrow of his own in response, but Hilda already had an arrow on the string, nodding for him to go ahead. He did, but the action was clunky and awkward; she merely swayed to one side, dropping into a crouch to avoid the clumsy shot. Nothing like the smooth manner in which she returned fire. Aim, draw, release. Rinse, repeat; two arrows loosed in the space of a minute.

It should have been impossible, but it wasn't. As she dropped to the ground, she disappeared, flickering out of view. Ravio chuckled as Link started cursing, eyes raking the courtyard in an attempt to find her. But as it seemed, Hilda's magic was as unusual as his was – cloaking her in liquid invisible silence.

The only sign they had of her direction was her arrows and her laughter. But even that echoed off the walls; and her arrows were only visible once fired. Ravio was having less difficulty hitting his mark; but Hilda soon spun him out of control again as she darted around him; tugging and teasing. It was almost terrifyingly scary the way the Lorulean was enjoying herself ... in, fact, it _was_. Simple insanity.

"Din preserve me, Hilda!" Ravio snapped, shattering the silence at last. "You're driving me mad!"

Hilda smirked at him as she dropped her magic, shimmering into view atop the wall above him. Sighing, she pulled her quiver off her back and counted her remaining arrows. Still, she kept one eye on what she was doing, and one eye on where her Advisor stood below, brow furrowed in a fierce scowl.

"Oh dear! Is that a problem?"

"Yes!" he snarled. "I can't think straight – and _somebody_ is driving me up the proverbial wall!"

"Whoops ... my bad." she giggled. "Sorry, Ravio, I think I was having too much fun. Should I stop?"

"If you don't want me to die of mortal embarrassment, then yes! You'll be the death of me, I swear!"

She landed with a soft thud beside him. "Tsk, _tsk_ , Advisor. Wouldn't you rather it be that way, hmm?"

Parting blow delivered, she smirked at him, before flicking him under the chin and stalking off. She'd hardly got to the courtyard entrance before his response made her tip her head back and laugh aloud.

"Goddesses' dammit, Hilda!"

* * *

 **Hilda's sass levels should be floor height - she's a princess for goodness' sake - but nooo. Try the ceiling, that's about where you'll find her now. Poor Ravio. He has NO idea of what he's about to get himself into ... he should be running scared. Zelda with a butcher's knife is nothing compared to when that sass-o-meter goes through the roof. ...It'll be crash and burn alright. *sigh*  
**

 **See you next time!**


	37. Part 2: Chapter 14

**Guess who's back with another chapter? For the record, this is Part Two: Chapter Fourteen; Book One. And thanks to ShadowSage006 for the follow, and to dreadfort1453 for the favourite. I must admit, I really enjoy writing chapters from Hilda's point of view. But writing from the boys' perspectives is far more entertaining. Speaking of entertaining...**

 **Enjoy!**

 **\- Familiar.**

* * *

Hilda stared at her reflection, hardly daring to believe that the person in the mirror was actually her. Her fingers had brushed the silk of this dress in her search for a gown to wear to Vilen's funeral this morning, and when she pulled it out, she knew it was time. Time for her to step up and take her place as Queen. The dress had belonged to her mother and she could still remember her words to this day, even now:

 _"_ _One day, Hilda, you'll know you're ready for your birthright. And when you do, when your heart is whole and the person standing by your side is the one you can see yourself spending the rest of your life with ... I want you to wear this dress for me. I won't live to see you all grown up, my baby girl. You know that._

 _I won't be there for there for your coronation. And I won't, I'm sad to say, be there to see you pledge yourself to the man who steals your heart. Your father won't be there to give you away, either. Oh, don't give me that look. I'm your mother, I know this sort of stuff. Ruling a kingdom is a partnership, my dear._

 _But when you're ready to step up and take your place as Queen of Lorule, know that I am proud of you. No matter whatever you've done to get to that day, you're still my daughter and I will always love you..."_

A knock at the door shook her out of her reprieve, and she cleared her throat. "Come in."

Ravio appeared in the corner of the mirror, and she turned in surprise. The man in front of her appeared to be stoic and silent; a figure who commanded the respect he deserved. But it was the cloak he wore that caught her attention. It was satin of deepest black, held in place by a pin shaped like the royal crest. The falcon's wings were flared, and her eyes widened as her eyes traced the shape of the shield behind it. She knew who this cloak had once belonged to – the cloak pin told her everything she need to know.

"It was your father's," Ravio whispered. "He gave it to me before he died."

Hilda nodded slowly, blinking back tears. "I know. I'd recognise that cloak pin anywhere."

He gave her a sad, crooked smile. "Need some help with the last piece?"

"I..." Her breath caught in her throat. "...Yes, please. I don't have the courage to do it myself."

"Then allow me, Princess."

Exhaling nervously, she gathered herself and approached the velvet pillow where the crown sat nestled, gleaming back at them. It wasn't just a crown anymore – it was hers. Hilda nearly baulked at the weight of responsibility she would bear, but then she glanced to one side and smiled. She wouldn't be alone.

She took a deep breath in. "I'm ready, Ravio."

He merely nodded, and lifted the crown from its resting place. The jewels glimmered in the light, the rubies blood-red crimson and full of fire; the diamonds glowing like tiny stars in the base of the diadem. Her eyes fluttered shut as he set it on top of her head, removing his hands so that she could get used to the feeling. If she were honest, it was a little heavy but ... 'heavy is the head that wears the crown'.

But she knew she was ready. Her heart was whole; and the person she could see herself spending the rest of her life with was right beside her. Where he belonged, come hell or high weather. At her side.

She opened her eyes, and looked her reflection in the eye. She stood tall and proud, suddenly very conscious of the way the dress hung off her body and flowed towards the ground. The silk was a dusky grey, complemented by the white of the sleeves and petticoat; and the delicate silver embroidery. Her regalia was all silver and chips of obsidian, which just made the rubies of her crown stand out more.

Ravio stood half a pace to her left, clothed in dark purple and black, one hand on her bare shoulder. What armour he wore was freshly polished – gauntlets, bracers and pauldrons gleaming gold in the early light. His boots were also polished; black leather to a soft shine. Her father's cloak rested over the top of a dark purple tunic and storm-grey pants, the cloak pin winking at her when it caught the light.

He smiled softly, nodding at their reflection. "We make quite the pair, don't we?"

"That we do. In fact, bold as it may be, I'd say it's almost royal portrait worthy."

"Now, come on, Hil. What do you want little ol' me standing next to you in a portrait for?" he asked.

She chuckled. He didn't get it. "Think about it, Ravio. What's the significance of such a portrait?"

"...O-oh." he stammered. "Hilda, you can't be serious! Me?! As in _me_ , me?!"

"I've never been more serious in my life. And who else could rule beside me but you?"

"...Nobody."

"Yes, exactly. Now, come on. We're going to be late if we don't hurry."

Hilda swept out, giggling as he trailed behind her in a daze. They reached the door that separated her wing of the castle from the throne room, and he strode ahead, working on autopilot as he opened the door for her and entered the room after her, taking his place beside the throne, as was proper. Still, she fought to keep a straight face when his eyes darted sideways to settle on the dais and he shuddered. Poor fellow.

At a nod from her, the doors leading from the main hallway to the throne room opened, and the coffin bearers hoisted it up onto the bier. The procession would follow them out onto the plain in front of the castle gates, where they would then burn the body on a funeral pyre, according the former Ambassador's native tradition. It was a process she'd had explained by the Duchess herself, so she wasn't all that interested in the proceedings. It was far more entertaining to watch Ravio squirm.

She settled herself next to Zelda, who flashed her a friendly smile, and joined her in her search for Link. They found the blonde hero standing next to Ravio, who, when he caught her looking, jumped in shock and drew his shoulders up around his ears. Hilda smothered a laugh – he was trying to _hide_! From her! Oh, he wasn't serious, was he? The embarrassed grin he directed Link's way told her that, yes, he was.

"What's Ravio's problem?" Zelda hissed in her ear. "He's all jumpy this morning."

"You noticed?" she asked, momentarily surprised.

"I think _everyone_ noticed, Hilda. He's normally quite composed. And he looked _scared_."

Hilda chuckled. "I paid him a compliment and he couldn't handle it. That's all."

"That's all?" she repeated dubiously. "Um, Hilda, he can't even look at you!"

"Well, it was a big compliment. I'd be freaking out too, if our roles were reversed."

"If _your roles_ were reversed? Hilda, _what_ are you going on about?" Zelda demanded.

She merely smiled. "You'll find out with time, Zelda. Don't you worry about it now – it'll be fine."

And fine it was, for when Hilda allowed her eyes to wander, they met a pair of green eyes so familiar it was like looking at a reflection. He lifted one shoulder in a half-shrug, the faintest traces of a smile lingering on his face. Chuckling, she pressed her fingertips to her lips and mouthed those three little words you can always say too often but never enough all at once. His smile broadened and she knew they'd be okay. They always were ... it was far too silly to keep fighting over trivial things like this.

As if they were fighting in the first place. Good Goddesses, the idea of them fighting over such a thing nearly made her fall over in horrified amusement. No, it would have to be something much, much worse. For example, if he pulled a stunt where he worked a fortnight straight on nothing but caffeine and his magic reserves just to get something done for the kingdom, then yes, there would be a problem. A big one, as a matter of fact.

But if he ever did something like that, she would deal with it when the time came. It was not today – but knowing him as well as she did, it would be one day. They were not children, had not been children even when they were supposed to have been; duty and responsibility shouldered when they should have learned and been loved those around them who loved them. They didn't know any different. While his dedication to the kingdom was something she loved about him; Din above, there were times she wanted to slap him for being stupid and not taking his own health into consideration. He was such an idiot.

Idiot or no, he did his job; and did it to that one-hundred-and-ten percent standard he was known for. People didn't come to the castle to seek her advice – it was for their combined advice; or sometimes, not even her advice at all. Sometimes they had to all sit down and take it one at a time ... and Ravio was always the one with a level head and patience unbound. She might have Wisdom, but he was far wiser.

It felt like so long ago but what she'd said then was true. He was brilliant and he was a natural leader; and to her annoyance, she couldn't run the kingdom without him. Her parents would have found this most amusing, she was sure. She owed him the lives of her people and eventual restoration of her kingdom, and that was a big debt for a ruler to owe. And what did he do? True to his word, he took it all in stride, and continued the list of duties he'd acquired, hardly asking for anything in return. Even if she didn't the idea of not paying him in any way, he would still refuse. No matter how hard she tried.

 _"_ _I ask for nothing more than this."_

* * *

 **One more chapter to go after this until Part Three. And boy, is it a fun one. Thank goodness for Ravio - even if he does end up in the doghouse. Hey, hey, he does the right thing ... regardless of the fact that he gets a little payback. Narbitts, honestly. They can't help themselves - it runs in the family.  
**

 **Bye, and see you next time for the final installment of Part Two!**


	38. Part 2: Chapter 15

**What is there to say? Life happened, but writing is ... writing is good for me. If you've reviewed, or faved this story, perhaps even followed in the time since I last posted (over a year ago), thanks. The idea for this chapter changed slightly from the original idea I had - Ravio doesn't end up in the doghouse, but Hilda is - no less Hilda, I guess. Insult those under her care as future Queen and she won't even need Ravio to kick-start a bonfire. XD Just sayin'; she don't take kindly to challenges or anybody trying to psych her out - Yuga included. But Yuga's a spoiled brat.**

 **...Enjoy!**

* * *

Hilda was late. Ravio scowled, blocking out the music and the chatter, eyes locked on the top of the stairs. Link stood a few metres away, back against a pillar as his eyes swept their surroundings – they were both on guard duty, having no interest in the celebratory party that was taking place. They made quite the statement; dressed as they were, but their status alone cleared space for them both to breathe. And after the last seventeen and a half days, they needed to.

The treaty and all agreements within it had been made. That was enough. Except... "She's late."

Link didn't turn his head, but one eyebrow rose. "And that's a problem why?"

Ravio huffed, fingers twitching. "There are standards, Link, and this is not 'fashionably' late. It is _late_."

A yawn. "S'cuse me. ...What's it matter to you, anyway? You're just her advisor."

He rolled his eyes. "Hilda sets her own definitions; always has. But it matters ... oh, never mind."

"Brother, you're confusing."

Ravio was silent, his eyes fixed on the young woman slowly descending the stairs into the ballroom. She looked like a princess, because she was, but she held herself like a queen. The queen she was in all but age and name. And her dress, sweet Goddesses – was it even legal to look that good?

He swallowed, and saw Link's expression mirrored his own from the corner of his eye. "That's- that's-"

"Insane," his counterpart breathed. "Is she _trying_ to get kicked out of her own castle? Look at her!"

"-I was going to say Maudiean silk. I-I didn't even know the Maudiean King was here; I can't begin to fathom how expensive that gown of hers must be. One thousand Rupees? Two? People _kill_ for a quarter-yard of the stuff, and here she is, wearing an entire gown made from it like it's cotton or wool."

"That's right, you were a merchant once, weren't you? You ever get your hands on any?"

A bark of laughter. "No! Do you even hear a word I just said? Only ever in my dreams. Only ever then."

Ah, he didn't care what all these officials and foreign dignitaries thought. The crowd parted as he moved through, their whispers flooding his ears. Crimson Maudiean silk ... he swallowed, dropping into a deep bow as his princess reached the bottom of the stairs, amusement gracing her features. Daring to lift his eyes, he took her hand in his; leading her out onto the floor. Three help him, she took his breath away. Her crown sat nestled on top of her head, the jewels glowing in the firelight, and – he hadn't realised just how long her hair was until now. She'd steadily been growing it longer and longer, but now ... it brushed the curve of her waist.

This was why she'd had it so tightly braided yesterday, he realised. It framed her face, those brilliant eyes that sparkled as she delighted in his stunned silence. Held back by twin braids that twined into a braid all their own; her hair flowed down her back in waves, accentuating the already natural curl that defined those violet locks. The music had fallen silent, and she was smiling faintly as he met her gaze again. Rank disregarded, he was asking her to dance. He doubted she'd refuse him the honour.

"Princess?" he asked softly. "Would you gift your servant with the honour of your first dance tonight?"

"Only tonight, Advisor? I'd give you my first dance until the end of time."

Those words caused a ripple effect, and he could hear the shocked murmurs of ambassadors and rulers alike. But across the ballroom, he met two pairs of blue eyes, and couldn't help but laugh as the Princess of Hyrule hauled her general out onto the dancefloor. Ah; like he said – he didn't care what they thought. He was going to enjoy himself; stereotypical rules of kingdoms irrespective of a rebuilt Lorule. So, keeping his eyes on hers, he reached into his jacket and floated out a single glass rose, which 'bloomed' into a rope of fire-flowers as it nestled behind Hilda's ear. So, what did it matter if his work wasn't perfect? It didn't have to be. It existed just for this moment, amongst others. But this one, especially, right now.

And then it shattered into a million pieces.

"You would give your first dance to a _commoner_?" A loud voice demanded.

Red eyes flashed, and he instinctively took a step away from his princess, swallowing nervously. Ducking his head, he silently moved to hide in the shadow of the staircase, eyes downcast; dull. A commoner. A -he wasn't. He wasn't. Wrapping his cloak around himself, he yanked up the hood and tried to ignore the shake in his hands ... the taste of salt that lingered as he hid his face. But they were angry tears, even if his princess was far angrier on his behalf than he was himself. Not that he could blame her.

"A 'commoner'?" Hilda repeated, voice like ice. "Ravio Narbitt is no commoner. He is a hero, and of noble descent. Distant kin of Lorule's ruling family. He is no commoner. Far from it. I haven't the had the pleasure of knowing anyone as selfless as my Advisor, save for Princess Zelda Hyrela and General Lindak of Hyrule, to whom my people owe their lives – and to whom I owe the future of my kingdom. But this would not have been possible if not for Ravio, and it is him the people put their trust in."

Again, the same person spoke up, "Not you? They put their trust in someone _beneath_ royalty?"

Ravio's gaze darted first to his princess, who stood stiff-backed, holding her chin high; then across the room to his Hyrulean company, where blue eyes were like ice and thunderclouds, respectively. He caught Zelda's eye and subtly shook his head. No, this wasn't their fight. He appreciated the sentiment, but this was something they – being himself and his princess – had to handle alone. He swallowed again.

Before he could move, however, Hilda laughed. And he shivered at the sound.

"They trust me. But they trust Ravio more. They know he won't betray them, no matter how many mistakes he makes, and how many times he loses his temper. He has a good heart, and his courage isn't the only thing defines him. Intuitive, bold, clever, honest ... he is compassionate, and one of the people."

We-ell... honest was a _little_ bit of a stretch. There were times he lied through his teeth about how much coffee he drank in comparison to how he slept with a work to sleep ratio, but that wasn't the point his princess was trying to make. She was defending him, and damn if she didn't look good while doing it.

His eyes snapped back to her as she sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Sweet Din, it's at times like these that I could use a drink, preferably something heavy, because it's evidently clear that _some_ people, despite being nobles, ambassadors or royals themselves, know absolutely nothing about ruling a kingdom. Let alone one that was dying, and on the brink of being eradicated from history in a blink."

"I beg your pardon?" Oh, not again. "You're not even a Queen! What would you know about ruling?"

The entire ballroom froze, and Ravio didn't blame them. Because his princess was _furious_ – things between her and this idiot had just gotten personal. He'd just crossed a line. But Hilda calmly walked over to a buffet table, poured herself a glass of pomegranate and raspberry punch, and took a sip. Uh oh. Not good. She was about to royally (pun not intended) roast someone, and she didn't even need his help to do the roasting. Oh, brother. And when she got angry, things got nasty real quick. Very quickly.

Aaannd ... Link had snacks for the show. Not fair. But _Link_ wasn't the one having to step in soon, was he?

"What would I know about ruling?" she repeated coolly. "What do I know? Let me tell you, _sir_. It's hard. I was barely in my teens when I inherited the throne, and I had only a handful of Council members to guide me, one of them being my best friend, who was no older than I was, but had been through the Goddess' damned Dark Realm and back in the metaphorical sense and still lived. And things got worse."

Seeing as he was the friend she was talking about, he knew exactly what came next. And dreaded it.

"Then a magician came to me with a discovery four years later. He'd found a possible solution to saving our dying kingdom, he said. Lorule was _broken_. Fading. Split into miniature lands all their own, each with a dungeon and its own dangers. Giant ravines split the land, corpses and skeletons lying shattered at the bottom – over half the population; women, children and men alike just _gone_. Swallowed up. Poof!"

Oh dear. She was getting sarcastic. ... And Link was still snacking, eyes alight with wicked amusement.

She'd gone deadly quiet, staring into the bottom of her glass, eyes unfocused. "... But what he didn't tell me was that it was at the cost of another kingdom. Even then, if he had, I may not have cared. Thankfully, Ravio did. Because if not for Ravio; if not for my Advisor, who went looking for a hero, things may have turned out very differently. I was desperate, not seeing any other way than the one presented to me. There were kidnappings, and there was betrayal – really quite the griipping tale ... but we survived. We _survived_ because of someone's compassion in our time of need, two wishes upon a Triforce given up so that others might live. Selflessly and without question, all for the sake of hope."

Silence.

"So, what do I know about ruling, you ask? It's hard, sir. It's hard because you're juggling the lives of everyone under your care, and that doesn't just mean getting them to pay taxes. It means making sure they have shelter, food, and water. It means providing them with an education, and events during the year to look forward. You and those in your Council, even if only the senior or the respected members of the kingdom, must settle disputes and configure laws that work with the people, not against them. So, I'd say I know a world's worth more about ruling a kingdom - especially one like Lorule – than you do."

He wasn't sure who started clapping, but once they did, the whole room burst into thunderous applause. His princess blinked, startled by the noise, but blushed and after setting her glass on the table, dropped into a curtsey. Ravio found himself by her side as the applause faded, and he gently rested a hand on the small of her back, smiling softly as he tugged at a loose curl of violet hair, mesmerised.

Red eyes met his green ones, and her entire countenance just lit up at the sight of him. She gestured to the bowl of punch silently, and he grinned. Yes, a drink sounded like a marvellous idea. Taking a glass of his own, he stood there with her watching as the party continued. Their counterparts joined them – and even if there was an incident where his princess 'accidentally' knocked the bowl of punch all over Link – things went smoothly after that. No further issues, or complaints. As for them dancing ... well...

Ravio pulled her away from the food tables, out onto the centre of the dancefloor, and he could have sworn the music screeched to a halt. He soon discovered why - for an ocarina and a harp joined the guitar melody, and when he glanced over in the direction of the musicians' platform, he wasn't too surprised to find the two Hyruleans standing there too, grinning back at him. Cheeky, the pair of them.

The melody was upbeat, playful and fast, but they didn't mind, dancing long into the night, as the ball went on. Yes, they stopped from time to time – even snuck out to one of the balconies for some peace and quiet – but they never strayed far from one another, even when two blonde Hyrulean troublemakers (not really) cut in on their dances once or two. Princess Zelda, it turned out, wasn't a bad dancer, and neither was Link, according to his princess. He was a warrior – some of his grace on a battlefield had somehow translated over into court life. Somehow. Even Link himself wasn't quite sure.

But the ball had to end, and over the next few days, as the ambassadors and other members of other neighbouring countries, life in Lorule returned to normal. Far less hectic, for sure, but no less interesting. But like always, he stood by his princess' side, even after her twenty-first birthday and her coronation. Correspondence between Hyrule and Lorule still occurred, and invitations were sent out for both royals' coronations – events they and their respective companions attended with much delight - no hesitation.

What happened a year later, however, is perhaps of greater interest, both personal and historical.

* * *

 **So there you have it. Part 2 - done. But when I say buckle up, this time I mean it. Because Part 3 is one hell of a ride.**


	39. Part 3: Chapter 1

**Part 3! Thanks to prowessMaster44 for her regular review, and let's get on with the show, shall we? Enjoy!**

* * *

Hilda was warm. It was winter, and she was _royalty_ , for crying out loud, and her bed was luxurious, but it wasn't normally this comfortable. And warm, like she'd said. Her thoughts were interrupted as light slipped through the silken drapes shielding the windows of the bedroom, and she groaned, flinging an arm over her eyes. Oh, Goddesses, her head positively ached. Had she gotten drunk again last night? She hoped not. It was rather embarrassing to be found in such a situation, seeing as she was such a freaking lightweight. But at least she wasn't allergic to alcohol like her dear Advisor. Poor, poor Ravio.

She could still recall last time he'd accidentally had some, and it had been a nightmare.

But that wasn't made her freeze. What made her freeze was the sleepy murmur at her back, the mattress shifting as the person next to her rolled over, an arm draping itself over the curve of her waist and pulling her closer subconsciously. Catching a glimpse of sleep-rumpled black hair, she snorted. Of course she'd end up in his bed. The books in the room should have been a dead giveaway, now that she thought about it. Honestly, she'd seen him at all hours of the day, so seeing him like this wasn't too much of a surprise. But still, that explained why she was so warm – she was lying next to a Din-blessed _furnace_ of a man. And what a man he was. Mmm~ But she was getting distracted.

And waking her sleeping companion, it would seem. "...Sleep," The word was a growled command. "I'm tired – no, Hilda, I don't care if you're a higher rank than me – and I don't get enough sleep as it is. I happen to enjoy my sleep, so if you keep squirming, I'll let the whole damn castle know where you spent the night. The rumour mill among the staff is bad enough, I don't want to cause a scandal. Now rest."

She rolled over, meeting his rankled, sleepy gaze, and smirked. He was bare-chested – and obviously had gotten accustomed to sleeping without a sleep-shirt. A finger trailed down his throat, and she smiled as he swallowed beneath her touch, muscles tensing. "Stop that, you goof," she teased lightly, laying a hand on his chest, tracing, learning. "I'm just acquainting myself with a view I don't get to see often."

A dark brow rose. "Considering the first time you did, my queen, you bolted, abandoning all pretence of subtlety, I'm quite surprised you're this ... audacious," His voice was dry. "It must be a lingering side effect of the drink you had last night. By the way, per previous 'incidents', love, it's about a fifty-fifty ratio - either you pass out, or you become very, embarrassingly ... affectionate. You were very much the latter last night, I assure you. And you talk in your sleep, too. I had no idea that you felt that way."

The look in his eyes had her blushing – Naryu help her, what had she _said_?! – and she turned her back to him, grumbling quietly. Hearing him chuckle, she elbowed him, ignoring his protests and laughing cries of injury, and focused her attention on the messy state of the room. His tunic was discarded, draped over the chair by his desk. Her dress was folded neatly over the arm of a reading chair, all petticoats and crushed vermillion silk, her remaining regalia and glass, jewel-adorned, Lorealu's Muse (a gift from her dear Ravio, who was now sitting up in bed beside her, eyes no doubt filling over with sweet amusement) sitting in a tidy pile on a faded cushion. Despite all the books and papers, his sleeping quarters were quite organised. ...Why did that make her so terribly sad? But she knew; she didn't have to ask.

"You know, Ravio, I miss finding your rooms in a state of chaos. That at least, was something that remained of the merchant you once were. Your fire is different, and we both know it, but it's a good thing your sense of humour hasn't changed. I ... I'm not quite sure what I'd do with myself if you suddenly didn't have your ability to crack a joke when everyone in the room needed it the most, whether we know it or not. Is it weird, or I am just being ridiculous, as per normal of a morning?"

She squeaked as she was pulled upright, arms wrapping around her waist. He rested his chin on her shoulder, allowing her to fall back against his chest, and she shivered as his sigh ghosted past her ear. They were both rather melancholy this morning, weren't they? What was with that? Sure, they couldn't be happy all the time, as she well knew – they were running a kingdom between them – but it was a nice morning, headaches and wake-up calls aside. A sunny Lorulean winter morning, simple as that. Mmm.

Nothing more; nothing less.

"You're not being ridiculous, Hilda, I can promise you that. You're not. It's just nostalgia. And there's nothing wrong with a little trip down memory lane, even if you'd prefer to avoid that bad memories, simply to give yourself something to hold onto; just for a while. And trust me, the only reason I'm anything that resembles organised is because I didn't have a choice. I'm your representative, y'know."

She didn't have a reply for him, but she certainly didn't want to move. "Um, Ravio...? What's the date?"

"The first of Winter's End? Why?" he asked, but she could hear it click. "Oh, wait, don't ask why. I know why. We've got Hyrulean company for two weeks, haven't we? And not to mention there's the Spring Thaw Festival smack bang in the middle of it. _That's_ going to be fun with our friends in the kingdom."

She snorted, rolling her eyes. "Like it isn't every year. Please, you still haven't beaten me yet."

She gently freed herself from his grasp, before sliding off the bed and turning around to stick her tongue out at him. Grinning at his offended expression, she winked and focused on getting dressed, smoothing out her silk chemise habitually. Ignoring his grumbles about her cheating whenever it came to the now-annual snowball fights that were part of the Spring Thaw Festival (Her? Cheat? She would never!), she nevertheless flinched as the clock tower bell down in Thieves' Town rang the time for five-thirty. The time for lazing around had now passed – no kingdom ran itself. They had to get going, and now.

She next saw him down in the castle kitchens, talking to the staff and eating breakfast. With a mug of coffee close by. But that was no surprise. The cooks knew their queen and her advisor preferred breakfast in privacy, but that didn't stop Ravio from cracking jokes and sliding so easily into the conversation that flowed around the large room. She was almost jealous. Almost. She knew better.

Still, that didn't stop her from lobbing an apple at his head. Childish? Perhaps. But it did the trick – it got his attention. His hand moved, catching it at the last second, and she saw his eyes flash with amusement as fire engulfed the fruit. Knowing, wicked, amusement, eyes never leaving her face as he took a bite, absentmindedly wiping the juice away on the back of his hand. 'Absentmindedly'; sure. He knew she was watching, the smug bastard. Huffing in irritation, she turned her back on him. Narbitts.

Until he spoke that is. "What's the matter, Your Majesty? Aiming for someone behind me?"

She scoffed. "No, _Advisor_ ," she replied sweetly, turning and idly playing with a strand of hair. "I was aiming for your head. Just checking whether the rumour about you having rocks in your head is true or not. But seeing as a person with rocks for brains wouldn't have a reaction speed like that, or at all ..."

She let the words hang in the air, eyes dancing as he scowled at his mug of coffee. A mug of coffee that had a _healthy_ amount of sugar and cream, no doubt. Thankfully, he'd stopped putting so much sugar in his coffee after a week of doing it because he'd realised that so much sugar could make him sick – and if he was sick because of sugar, that meant he couldn't get away with eating anything sweet. Real smart.

...Link had done the convincing, but it had obviously worked.

Torn from her thoughts by the door to the kitchens opening, she sat down, accepting the bowl of oatmeal placed in front of her, eyes scanning the selected fruit and flavourings. Cream, sugar, dates, grapes, honey – ooh, apples and dried blueberries. Before she could move, however, a tendril of warm magic lifted the last three up, and set them down closer to her, well within reach. And yet her Advisor's eyes didn't move from his coffee, or the plate he had in front of him, piled high with food. He really –

He really knew her too well, didn't he? Smiling into her breakfast, she shook her head, and started eating, silently laughing as her companion finally turned his attention to the newcomer, mouth twitching as he fought to disguise his annoyance. They both hated interruptions during a meal, but they _were_ ruling a kingdom together, Ravio's status aside, and interruptions happened. They happened a lot.

"Claire," he greeted, taking a sip of coffee. "It's not even seven yet, and you're already in the castle. What happened and how bad? Do you need permission to put someone on ice? Or do I need to step in? Please say I don't, I hate it. Or are you here with information about that side project I told you about?"

The winter mage laughed. "That? I'm too busy running around preparing for the Festival, Chief. I think somebody put in a request for a magically loaded slingshot, and that really put the Cuckoos in a panic, so there's that mess, but we're working, promise. No rocks in this field, but I'm not so sure 'bout crows."

Claire's accent aside, Hilda could barely supress a snicker at the joke, and took another bite of her breakfast to smother her amusement. That right there was a nod to the Vilen debacle, something that both Lorule and Reeping remembered well – even if it wasn't always for the same reasons. Hah.

An exasperated huff from Ravio, his eyes dangerously bright. "The last crow I found went bang in a cell, Claire, and I think his remains are stuck beneath the new road leading to the castle. You didn't come here, disturbing my morning meal, to joke and comment on the Festival, did you? No. Get to the point."

Claire blew a strand of white hair of her face. "There was a fight. Brayson ... lost his temper."

"Define 'fight'," Ravio demanded, words clipped. "What the hell made _Brayson_ lose it? Tell me. Now."

"Um..." A pause. "There were implications thrown around. Ugly ones. About his wife. The girl who brought it up ... she's a known liar and cheat, but no-one thought she'd go so far as to come between those two. Sure, she's jealous of Liya, but damn. To physically put her at risk of injury? Who does that?"

"And the fight, Claire?"

He was seething, teeth gritted, and Hilda stood, walking around the table to join him, only to place a gentle hand on his shoulder. He needed to stay calm. Fiddling with the worn fabric of his cloak, black velvet soft beneath her touch, she shook her head and sighed. There was a quiet melody in her head, the song of two Triforce pieces harmonising, and she smiled. He would be okay now: he had help.

"It was more of a slaughter, Chief. And before you say anything, _nobody_ died. Promise. Liya stepped in before Brayson really snapped. But it was ugly to say the least. I ... had to put them both on ice, even it was long enough to get the girl away from Brayson. A couple of the guards are keeping an eye on her."

"And what do you plan for that girl now?" she asked, fingers stilling. "Surely someone's got an idea."

Sea-green eyes widened, and Claire bit her lip. "I was going to let Liya decide her punishment, with you and the Advisor overseeing to make sure nothing g-got out of hand, Your Majesty, as long that's okay with both of you. If it isn't I completely understand – you would both have very busy schedules and-"

" _Claire_." Her Advisor's voice was firm. "Stop that. When has the Queen ever - ever - corrected you on your judgement? Beyond some advice here and there? A critique, yes? You are one of the heads of staff in the castle, for Farore's sake," he chided. "I speak for both of us when I say I trust you to do your job."

The entire space was quiet now, apart from the noise of the kitchen staff working, but there was no chatter. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a few of the apprentices trying to peek round the pots they were scrubbing, and felt her lips twitch when the head cook directed them back to work with nothing but a glare. Hah. Trying to spy on private business? In the _kitchens_? That never happened. Nope.

A meek nod from the mage. "Yes, Chief. Sorry, Chief. It ... won't happen again. Um, so the Festival's good so far; preparations are almost complete, but I take it since there have been no objections to my proposed solution for this morning's incident, it's a go-ahead? Yes? No? Maybe? ...Just tell me. Please."

Ravio looked at her, seeking judgement; and Hilda sighed. Of course he'd defer to her, it was essentially a legal matter, and while he certainly carried weight among the people of Lorule - immigrants from their allied countries or not – he didn't have her standing. At least, not yet. But that wasn't publicly discussed.

"It's fine, Claire. Advisor Narbitt and I will see you in an hour. In the Throne Room, as per usual when it comes to these matters. Please have everything arranged by then, and please don't disturb anyone. I do believe the guards from the midnight patrols are still resting, so it wouldn't be wise to wake them."

Claire left soon afterwards (grabbing a quick breakfast under the head cook's insistence that no-one was to leave hungry), and everything resumed as per normal. Ravio was grumbling about hating his job, but again, that was normal. Her Advisor didn't hate it, per se, he hated the stress that came with it, not the job itself. He enjoyed his job apart from that – he got to make a difference to his kingdom. And, well...

Living in the castle was only just the one perk. Access to the library at all hours was another – even if she wished he _wouldn't_. And perhaps the one that stirred up the most rumours: his relationship with her. So what if he was courting her, he had been for years now. What difference did it make to Lorule? ...Okay, it made a lot of a difference, but that wasn't the point. The point was that it was none of their business, that's what the point was. Their courtship was between them, not them and the kingdom.

Perhaps she'd send those causing the rumours to Death Mountain to deal with Freezors. Yes~

"My queen, whatever it is you're thinking of, I'd advise against it." Her Advisor's voice was dry.

Oh, rats. "So, I can't request some of the Freezor statues from the Ice Palace for the Festival?"

"No. You can't. Too dangerous, and it would be a rather large cause of panic. They're _creepy_."

"Does that make Yuga and the Freezors related?"

...He clearly didn't see it fit to deem that worth a response. He was such a spoilsport.

* * *

 **Like Hilda said, Freezors are in-game enemies, and if I don't include enemies for the game in a post-ALBW fanficition, what sort of of fic is it? Hmm ... maybe I could have some of the minor characters working on a monster catalogue of sorts. Or maybe an encyclopedia. That could work. But anyway, Part 3 will have longer chapters, which means more content and more time for me to work on them. So ... semi-regular updates?  
**

 **Anyway, 'til next time!**


	40. Part 3: Chapter 2

Fire danced around him, a constant warmth – a constant heat and a barrier against the cold. But no barrier to his anger, and Ravio was angry. Not furious, but his anger boiled beneath his skin and raged around him in a brilliant tempest; bright, bright green eyes fixed on the cobbled road to the castle. His hood hid his face from view, and he braced his hands on the stone of the battlements, lip curling. The instigator had escaped, and there had been another altercation. Again. In the town centre this time.

Mages, it was known, had an unstable grasp on their power when caught off guard or angry, and that's part of the reason he was in such a state that he was. The young woman from Claire's report earlier that morning had escaped her guards when Claire broke her icy prison, and there was a big mess to clean up. Six dead; three guards and a family. Equally as many funerals to arrange, and that same number to bury.

Two of them children.

The woman had escaped, tearing through the markets and town centre ... and he'd gotten there too late. Damn Council meetings, damn them all; the people relied on him as the sole representative of the Queen, and he was the most powerful mage in the kingdom, not to mention the only fire mage. They were his people as much they were his Queen's and they trusted him. Trusted him with their lives.

He'd failed them.

He didn't move when footsteps echoed against the stone, knowing only a handful of people that would dare approach him like this, and one of the two living wasn't in the kingdom. The other was in her throne room. The guards were huddled in their watchtower, so no-one saw the two Shades join him, one on either side, both staring out at horizon in silence. Vion's ghostly fire mixed with his – a pale reflection of his power in more ways than one – but Aviol spoke first. He didn't startle in the slightest.

 _It's not your fault, Ravio,_ he whispered into the still air. _You don't have any control over their actions – you're not some divine power, and the one I did know was benevolent; warm and caring. Death is natural ... if not tragic in many a case. Six people are dead, true, but think of how many lives you saved._

His laughter was harsh. "They fell under my watch, Aviol. Two of them mere children. My watch, not yours and your wife's, not that of your daughter's, not that belonging to any of my Queen's ancestors. Mine. Mine and hers. Six people dead, and there was nothing I could do. Nothing at all. ...Nothing."

Vion chuckled grimly. _It was an accident. The ... well, woman, to be polite, probably only meant to escape. She had to have known she screwed up, and while it would have been smarter - wiser – to await her sentence on the charges she had; fear does incredibly stupid things to people. So, she made a break for it. Stupid? I've already said as much, haven't I? But she'll pay for it, and that's all that matters now._

On his left, Aviol adjusted his jacket, toying with the fur edging. _Death happens, kid. War happens. You were never caught in a war that lasted years, even if the power struggle you ended – don't argue with me - mimicked the patterns that war plays out in. You're the one holding Lorule together alongside your Queen. No-one else. You. And you've done a damn good job of it, too. I'd be proud. Real proud, Ravio._

A sigh left his lips, and he reached up to rub his jaw. He was. But it was never enough. There was always so much to do, so much to fix, new problems and old that cropped up. For all the support, and the jobs they'd handed off to others in the last two and a half years, he still carried the bulk of the kingdom's problems alongside his Queen. And the people knew it. The sheer respect he got from them alone blew his mind. He'd been like them once, too, and some of native townsfolk never failed to remind him, but –

He was different to the rest of them, and that set him apart. Dipping his head in a slight nod, he dropped his gaze and left, headed for the stairs. His power still buzzed in his veins, but he knew it always would. Compared to some of the mages in the kingdom, his magic was massive, and while he didn't like to parade it around, some of the visiting mages over the past few years had paled when they'd walked into the throne room. Because of his Queen, true, but also because of him. He knew that; he admitted it.

But that didn't mean he necessarily had to like it.

Groaning, he raked a hand through his hair, all-too-aware of the castle staff - no, not the servants, he refused to downgrade them simply because of tradition - stopping and addressing him. Or hushing their conversations, voices a mere whisper as they talked. The guards, if they didn't snap to attention, saluted him; and he internally cringed as two of the younger members of staff he encountered curtseyed.

General respect he could handle, but reverence? Dark Realm, no. He wasn't royalty. Politely exchanging greetings as he made his way towards the throne room, he stopped before the door to the back entrance. Stopped and pushed his hood back, sighing as he briefly rested his forehead against the cool iron framing it. Three help him, he was always so tired. Yes, he'd admittedly slept better than he had in years last night, but it hadn't been enough. Maybe he could convince her ... No. That wouldn't be right.

His shoulders slumped. He might have been courting her - properly courting her – for the last two years, but that didn't mean they could share a bed. In any form, even if it was just to keep the other warm. It had been necessary, last night, he knew – she'd refused him the propriety of leaving her chambers as he should, so he'd had no choice but to take her back to his. And even then, he'd been denied propriety.

There was nothing wrong with him taking the couch. He'd done it countless times before, why should this be any different? But noo~ She just _wouldn't_ have it like that, would she? Oh no. Not Hilda. She hadn't relinquished her death grip on his hand until he'd promised her he wouldn't sleep on the couch. She'd insisted he stay, and, well, she was his Queen. Orders were orders; and that was that.

Still, when he'd realised what that implied, he'd almost burst into flames right there. Almost.

By Din, if he ever found the moron that slipped that bottle into the castle, he wasn't sure what he would do. Cider? Eh, it only sent her a little over the edge. But wine ... oh boy. It was like exploring the Dark Palace or the Ice Palace on the night of the new moon. Overkill. Not to mention creepier than the sound of a Skulltula as it skulked in the shadows. But it was overkill, and that was the point. Total overkill. Yup.

His Queen was an affectionate drunk, and that only made the problem worse. Yes, he was her lover, but that didn't mean he expected her to be so bold. Even now. Last night had just driven the point home, really. He'd tried to be polite, but she'd been so insistent and... He knew better than to argue. Thankfully, even when drunk, she had an internal barrier, and he hadn't to argue with her about anything more than them sharing his bed. So, yes, he hadn't slept with her. He wasn't her Prince Consort. Yet. But Sacred Realm above, she was so cold compared to him! And she'd _giggled_ about it.

Giggled and just wriggled closer to his warmth; to him. Groaning, he blinked and stepped away from the door, running his fingers through his hair again. He had to stop thinking about it. He had a job to do, and that job didn't involve the fact that he'd shared a bed (his bed, too) with his ruler the night before. His Queen - He was doing it again. Rubbing his forehead, he took a breath and reached for the door handle. He couldn't stall any longer, he had to talk to her about the trial. He couldn't pass judgement over it.

Not this one. It hit a little too close to home.

Pushing the door open, he stepped quietly into the throne room, only to stop when crimson eyes found his. Of course she'd find him in a room before he had a chance to open his mouth – she always did. Even when he didn't want her to. Typical. Sighing and shaking his head, he refrained from cringing as four other pairs of eyes locked on his, more than one glittering with repressed amusement. Oh, Farore, _no_.

Please, no. If Claire opened her mouth ... Three help him, that woman knew too much. Why~? Why had he asked for her help with 'that' project again? Probably because he hadn't a choice. Glaring, he crossed the carpeted floor - it needed replacing, but that was on the list – to stand beside the dais, a muscle in his jaw feathering as he studied the heads of staff, Claire among them. Scheming, good-for-nothing...

The winter mage's eyes laughed when she did not, and she smirked. "Find any crows, Chief? Yay or nay? Because it looks like you're still smoking 'n' sparking over the news. Not that anyone here can blame you, because we're not. Blaming you, that is. At all. ...And I hate to mention this, but you look like-"

"Like you had an argument with a door," Liya piped up, snickering. "Sorry Chief. It's true."

"An argument with a door?" he mused, a slow smile spreading across his face. "No, can't say I have. Chatted with a few ghosts, and scared the guards into cowering in the watchtower but argued with a door? Nah. The closest thing I've had to an argument lately is a difference in opinion. But you, Liya..."

His queen shifted on her throne, lifting a hand to half-hide a yawn. She too, it seemed, was tired. It was nice to know that he wasn't alone ... and as long she was okay with it, he might broach the topic circling in his mind to her later that day. But not so openly – and not with potential eavesdroppers around. No.

He chuckled. "You really shouldn't tussle with any walls in the castle. Human ones, that is. After all, you never know who could walk past your hiding place. And speaking of hiding places ... a storage room? Really, now? That is such a Hyrulean thing to do. Thank goodness I sealed that hallway off, hmm~?"

Awkward, suffocating silence.

Strangled coughs broke out, and when he glanced in his queen's direction, she had a gloved hand pressed to her mouth, cheeks warm. But her shoulders were shaking, and judging by the faint glimmer in her eyes, she wasn't in the throes of a coughing fit. No, it was a disguised _laughing_ fit, and he barely refrained from rolling his eyes at her melodrama. Oh, please. It wasn't that funny, and if anything, it had been terribly inappropriate of him to bring it up. Poor Liya looked like she wanted the ground to swallow her whole, and he was glad that Brayson hadn't yet arrived for the conduction of the upcoming trial.

That would have been a nightmare of sheer awkward. But he had a rogue royal to deal with, and her throne room wasn't a place she could let her mask fall, not when they had public - and important - business to deal with. Her chambers, and his, were places of refuge, and this was neither. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Ravio exhaled and shook his head as she continued 'coughing', ignoring the shuffling from the heads of staff as they whispered amongst themselves and reassured the auburn-haired Liya.

"Your Majesty, we have a trial fast approaching, within the hour, and it is necessary for one of the Council and the Queen to preside over it," he chided, folding his arms. "If you are not well, perhaps it would be best for you to visit the castle infirmary and take a day's rest to recover, upon which the trial can be delayed until you are better, or handed over to the castle's Captain of the Guard. ...If you aren't ill, however, your attention and full focus is required. Especially seeing as I won't be there for it."

That got her attention, and he felt his lips twitch, a brow rising, as she jerked in her seat, head snapping around so that she could look him in the eyes. He merely clicked his fingers, fire blossoming in his palm, and flicked his head in the direction of the carpeted floor, saying all he needed to in that action. She knew without him speaking what he was saying – it was a story only they knew, after all, and there was no need for words. Much to his relief. And he sighed when she nodded, fingers curling tighter around the armrest of her throne. It wasn't a fun subject for either of them, not by a long shot. Nu-uh. Nope.

"Of course, Advisor. Please, take all the time you need, and I will see you in my meeting room after the midday meal. We have business to discuss, including the trade agreements with Reeping and Maudiea. If Lorule is going have a financially stable future, we will need to decide what the kingdom will trade in as its main stock and then bring it before the Council at the next meeting, shortly after the Festival."

A business meeting? Well, this was the first he'd heard of this. He knew better than to question her intent, though, and merely dropped into a deep bow, signalling he understood. Exchanging nods with the others – and glaring pointedly at Claire, a warning to keep her damn mouth shut – he quickly exited the way he'd come. Maybe he could go down to the stables and check on the horses before riding into town. In the least, he could see what repairs would be needed and how much it would take to do them.

Work, work, work; all the time. Such was his occupation, however, and he wouldn't change a thing.

Shaking his head, he kept walking. Spending time around horses calmed him, a recent hobby he'd only discovered, aside from his glass smithing. But that was an artform, just the same as his music. Perhaps more so. Lost in thought, he blinked as whinnies caught the edge of his hearing, and he blinked again upon the realization that he was standing before one of the doors that led out into the castle grounds.

Pushing it open, he followed the familiar path, shrugging off his cloak and tossing it over a peg by the entrance as he stepped inside the building. His queen would probably threaten to lock him out of the library or hide all the sheet music for the pianoforte on him if she knew, but it was a treasured article of clothing from the late King, her father, and it wasn't as if he'd dropped it on the ground to get trampled on, covered in hay and horse manure, now, was it? No, he didn't think so. So she couldn't, could she?

Dusting off his tunic, admiring the fine dyed fabric, he collected the things he needed and headed out to where he knew that troublesome horse to be. Nobody else could get close to the fiery stallion, he thought, and in a strange way, it was rather ironic. The damn horse was utterly deluded, and that was how he had got his name. It just stuck, and according to Aviol, the beast was a remlit given equine form.

Whatever in the Dark Realm a remlit was, he didn't know. But if it anything like the grey Delusion, it was a nasty creature when provoked. Also, probably extinct. Or the ancestor of half the small feline population that had snuck into Lorule from Maudiea. He was still kind of iffy about that one. They had hawks for hunting, but cats were fast becoming a popular pet in the kingdom. Heh. Maybe they could breed the critters and turn them into a positive for the kingdom. Hmm... that wasn't that bad an idea.

Still, he couldn't help but wonder how many new bruises he was going to have come lunch time.

Oh, he was going to regret this. But he was doing it anyway, dumb idea or not.

Stupid horse.

* * *

 **The story of how Aviol knows what a remlit is ... well, is a story for another time. One he's better off telling himself. ;) But Ravio, Ravio, Ravio - boy, the poor guy can't catch a break. Funerals to organize, repairs to Thieves' Town ... horses to train, and a kingdom to run. More or less. He's not Prince Consort yet, and no wish for sleep is going to solve the problems that keep cropping up. And to top it all off, they've got visitors soon! What to do, huh?**

 **'Til next time!**


	41. Part 3: Chapter 3

**If you don't like the story or where it's going: don't read it. And most certainly don't take to a review to express your displeasure in language that is unfitting for the common language of the world. It's disgusting. If you don't like something or have questions, send me a PM so I can explain it. Or at least try to. Because a project of any size, especially a large one worth several novels' weight in words, takes work and consideration. You agree?**

 **Thank you.**

* * *

It was official. Her Advisor was an idiot. She could tell simply from his grimace and the dirt on his face, as well as his scraped hands, where he'd been, and she was surprised to see his tunic was as in good a shape as it was. Quirking a brow at him, she sighed as he sank into the plush chair opposite her and rubbed her temples. So much for a good morning – it had quickly turned into one of the many stressful days that comprised the months of every season, and every year. She should be used to this by now.

But she wasn't. "Trying to temper that troublesome horse again, Ravio? Is that why you almost missed lunch?" she asked tiredly, blinking at him. "...And before you answer, that was rhetorical. You don't have to say anything, I know. I know, and I get it. I've known you for over a decade. I know you better than anyone else in the kingdom, and you don't have to hide anything from me. Believe me, I understand."

"Hilda..." His mouth tightened at the corners. "Can we just focus on what we need to do and then spend the rest of the afternoon in each other's company, please? I'm tired, just the same as you, and propriety be damned, last night I slept better than I have in years. I promise we can take the afternoon off."

She could see it in his face. He meant it, and though it might be as worn as she felt, she still gave him a smile. Nodding, she rose, and walked over to the table set in the middle of the room, sitting down. Resting her chin on the polished surface, she watched as he walked around the other side, joining her, and pulled the sheaf of parchment, along with the inkwell and several quills toward him. Time to start.

"So," she began, rubbing her eyes as she straightened. "What are our options here? Trade-wise?"

"Personally, I don't think it's wise to rely on just the one source to provide money to the treasury. Maudiea trades in fabric, ivory, gold and parchment, as we well know; Reeping deals mainly from its sea ports in carvings, storage, preserved food and treasures fished from the sea wrecks. Alcoholic drinks, too: there was something about vineyards from the Duke's latest envoy. In the east highlands, I think."

"And our other allies?" she asked. "Are they too far to trade with directly? Or would we have to pass it down along the line, through Maudiea and Reeping? I don't think the Duke and Duchess would mind, nor would the Maudiean King ... wait, his son recently took the throne, didn't he? Anything of note? Or isn't there much we, as a kingdom, need to worry about? The former King was a good man, after all."

"He was. And from what some of our Maudiean immigrants have said, he was a good teacher, as well as a father. We shouldn't have any issues with the new Maudiean King – his father respected Lorule a great deal, therefore he should too. However, we're getting off track, and we can't spend all afternoon discussing politics. Not that we would want to. Politics all afternoon is just going to make me faceplant."

 _Into the table, most likely._

He jumped. Ravio jumped, eyes snapping to the end of the table, where Aviol now stood, and she burst out laughing as parchment scattered all over the table, her Advisor on his feet, breathing shallow and rapid as he fought to get his heartbeat back to normal. Green eyes blazed as he glared at the Shade, and he wasn't the only one. Lilac hair was only warning they had, and then the Musician was standing beside her husband, gripping one pointed ear in her fingers. And she _twisted_ , drawing a yelp from her fellow Shade. Hilda was inclined to agree. Ouch. That looked like it hurt, and by his expression, it hurt alright.

 _Have your manners vanished after all these centuries of being dead, Aviol?_ Her voice was scathing. _Vion's sulking on Death Mountain again, Agatha's got her hands full dealing with Lorelai ... and you're here, scaring the daylights out of the very same person you consoled a few hours ago! Hylia preserve me._

He had the grace to look sheepish. _I didn't mean to! Besides, I thought I could help! You know as well as I do what trade was like – the market was the centre of Lorea, and it went on for what seemed like forever. There's nothing to say that what worked then in terms of trade won't work now. I'm not an idiot._

The look she gave him said it all, and Ravio chuckled, sitting back down and gathering the parchment up again. "I'm pretty sure doing apparently idiotic things in a life-or-death situation is just a Narbitt trait. But can we talk trade, please? The kingdom's expecting visitors of the Hyrulean kind at some point, and I'm in no shape whatsoever to put with crazy antics, let alone that kind. I need to sleep before that."

The two Shades exchanged looks, and Aviol nodded. He was toying with the fur on his jacket again, she noticed, and her lips twitched as her namesake pulled his jacket off, draping it around her own shoulders and giggling when he rolled his eyes. That was familiar, wasn't it? Far too much. A quill bounced off the end of the table, drawing her attention back to her Advisor, and she smirked.

Trade. Right.

"So, tell me, what where the markets of Lorea like?" she asked, grinning. "Nothing too boring or mediocre I take it? The opposite of the Thieves' Town markets? ...Not that they're boring, they just need a lot of work. Work, work, work – it never stops, I swear. It's any wonder I get to sleep at night; even if last night wasn't an issue. But I was drunk and that only made things more complicated than they were."

 _Oh, I'm sure your intoxication was the reason, and not the company,_ the Musician teased gently, eyes glittering. _But take it from me, as a foreigner and not a native – the Lorea markets were a spectacle. Dirt streets, sure, but the market was ...you had to have seen it to believe it. It was beautiful, it really was. Bright, colourful, magical; and very busy. There was hardly a lull in the crowds passing through._

 _Music is magic here, and all our mages were musicians, even if some of our musicians weren't mages,_ Aviol interjected, folding his arms. _Enchantments were recorded and scripted through melodies – into songs and everyday items from jewellery to weapons. They were the main trade, of course, Lorea was known for their music, but we took pride in our hunting animals – the falcons and horses we bred._

The sound of a quill against parchment was comforting, and she chuckled at the sight of Ravio's messy handwriting covering the parchment. Okay, it wasn't that messy, and it had gotten better, but she still found it endearing. Enchantments, weapons, hunting animals and transportation ... pets, jewellery, potions and repairs. Cold weather gear – they were all things that wouldn't go astray, especially in certain combinations. And while it wasn't much; it was a start. And they had the resources to begin.

…Tap, tap, tap. Lifting her head to glare daggers at her companion, she stared at him, eyeing the quill nib he'd been tapping rhythmically against the glass of the inkwell. He'd break it by doing that, especially if he wasn't careful. And so, she felt her lips twitch when the quill snapped, broken pieces slipping through his fingers. It served him right. Giggling at his crestfallen face, Hilda rose, pushing the stack of parchment towards the centre of the table. She was too tired to mess with him, but he noticed when she shivered, because a thick feather-down quilt found its way around her shoulders. She couldn't help her smile.

"Thank you, Ravio, but I'm feeling more inclined to go lie down. I'm still incredibly tired, but I would hazard a guess that it's the remnants of the alcohol I consumed last night. Or something … else. I was wonderfully warm this morning when I woke up, I must admit. I wouldn't mind waking up like that every once in a while, especially in the winter. I know there are rules, but I'm the only member of the Royal Family left. Lorule is alive, thriving, and it's a new age for the kingdom. I'm tired of waking up alone."

She found herself facing him as he spun her around, and she could see his struggle. He left himself wide open, everything written in his body language; his expression. They worked so hard all the time – they ran a kingdom together, after all – and that was where his trepidation was coming from. Well, part of it. The people mattered a lot, but he struggled with issues too. They both did. It was all so difficult.

"Hilda, I don't know what I'm supposed do, I really don't. It was nice, better than nice, to wake up this morning and realise that it wasn't just an insomnia-induced daydream, but…" He swallowed; hard. "Some of the staff already treat me as your consort. I- I'm not. Not yet. I can't handle it. It feels wrong. So wrong. Yes, our people aren't fools, they know something's going on, but I'm dealing with so much."

Oh. Taking a breath, she lifted her crown from her head and set on the table. Just an afternoon wasn't too much to ask, was it? Surely not. For once, just this one afternoon, she didn't want to be royalty. She just wanted to be herself. Enjoy her lover's company, and his warmth. He was certainly warm enough. Adjusting the quilt around her shoulders, she trailed towards her bedroom. Soft footsteps followed her.

The curtains were drawn shut, heavy velvet touching immaculate carpet, but she paid them no mind as she started to strip down to her chemise. Breathing a sigh of relief as she loosened the ties on her corset, she eyed the tiny orbs of light that had sprung up. His handiwork, naturally. The lock clicked, but she knew he meant nothing ill of the action – he was just making sure they had the privacy required.

Fire crackled and snapped in the hearth as she slipped beneath the covers, a pleased hum breathing past her lips as she sank into imported cotton and feather-down. Aaah, she loved her bed, she really did. But she'd enjoyed waking up this morning even more, remnants of intoxication or not. The faint sound of water floated out from her bathing room, and she smiled at her companion when he emerged. Much cleaner, tiny droplets clinging to his hair and lashes… Three help her, if she wasn't a queen, she'd have invited him to her private quarters much sooner. Did he even know the effect he had on a woman?

His boots came off first, followed by his trademark cloak, what little armour he wore … then his tunic and undershirt. His skin, unlike hers, was tanned, and his back was taught muscle, flecked with burn marks and tiny scars. A map; a sum to all that he was. The white jagged marking down his side from his run-in with a storm mage was a painful reminder of the week she thought she'd lost him for good last year, and she squeezed her eyes shut against the sting of tears. No, she wouldn't cry. He was alive. Alive.

And that was just his back. His chest and abdomen were a whole different story.

The mottled patch of skin near his left hip was from Yuga, and that was all he ever said about it. Even then, it had taken a long time for him to open up about it, and he didn't like to talk about his scars all that much. The castle guards and mages knew better than to ask, too – the poor page who'd commented on his scars in something of a joke once two and a half years ago had ended up in the castle infirmary. Not with burn scars, but with bad bruising and a dislocated jaw. Ravio wasn't perfect: he was a person, just like the rest of the kingdom, and with that incident so soon after Vilen's - Yeah, not pretty.

She only wished she'd gotten there sooner in order to stop him from doing something he'd regret.

The mattress dipped beneath his weight, and she felt shivers dance down her spine as she turned her head to look at him. They didn't talk, there was no need to. Sleep and comfort was something they both wanted; both needed, and she smiled as he slipped beneath the covers. This was … right, somehow. She couldn't explain it, but she found she didn't want to. This, right here, right now; was theirs. Theirs alone.

Wriggling closer to him and his delicious warmth - Golden Goddesses, anyone would suspect her of being drunk again, she felt that good – she let out another noise of contentment and closed her eyes. Back pressed against his chest, feeling his heartbeat, the gentle rise and fall, the slow rhythm of his breath; Hilda let herself drift off. A winter's afternoon spent resting? Possibly with an enjoyable book and most certainly good company? It sounded delightful to her, and with all the work they did, an afternoon's peace wasn't too much to ask. Even if they did spend it in her bed, curled up together.

Just as sleep threatened to pull her under, he spoke; his voice a low murmur. Comforting, soothing. Familiar. Lacking the heat that sent chills through her on the hottest summer days, but none of the warmth that kept her from freezing - as it did now - during the cooler months. She loved his warmth, his fire, and his eyes, she really did, but his voice took the cake. His eyes could take on so many shades of green, but his voice was her anchor. If he lost the ability to speak, by accident or worse, she'd crumble.

And so would the kingdom.

"Don't get addicted," he warned quietly, draping an arm around her waist. "After all, like I said this morning, the rumours are bad enough. They won't be rumours at some point in the future, but for now they need to be. My heart tells me one thing, but my head … we need to be rational about this. Careful. Oh, the kingdom would happy for us, and our allies too, but you remember what happened three years ago as well I do. Fact is, I might be of noble blood, but that means I'd be giving evidence on my line."

"'Evidence'," she repeated mockingly. "What a load of horse manure."

"Hilda…"

"No, don't 'Hilda' me, Ravio Narbitt. If they want proof, they should look at the historical records in the library. The portraits of past Kings and Queens, the founding member of the monarchy. Agatha had green eyes – her portrait shows as much, and green eyes are rare, in and out of Lorule. And there are several other members of the Royal Family who had green eyes, and even hazel. You don't need 'evidence'. They can take their need for proof of your heritage and jump in the moat for all I care."

His laugh tickled her neck. "Settle down, spitfire – we both need rest, and you're the opposite."

Grumbling, she turned her head to look at him once more … and was met with sleepy, spring-green eyes. His smile was lazy, and settled on his face in a way that was natural – and put some very stupid ideas in her head. Very stupid ideas. Ideas that were not very Queenly whatsoever. She kept her back to him after that, trying to ignore the flush that had overtaken her body. The point of contact between them – his arm resting lightly against the curve of her waist – tingled. And she froze as his fingers grazed thin fabric, tracing little patterns over the silk. Calloused fingers. So different compared to her own.

She shut her eyes, relaxing, and tumbled into dreamland. Her last thoughts were of the kingdom… and the man sound asleep beside her. 'Don't get addicted', he said. 'The rumours are bad enough', he says. Well, if that was true – which she knew it was – it was too late. She knew she'd get addicted to this little arrangement, if only to spend more time alone in private with the man she'd given her heart over to.

Though, not officially, they were ruling together; and time alone in each other's company was scarce.

When she next woke, it was to the sensation of gentle fingers running through her hair in a tender caress, and she let out a sleepy hum of delight. The light that trickled past her eyelids was warm and amber … it was sunset. And she didn't want to move. Blinking slowly, she lifted her head and gave her companion a small smile. He, in comparison to her, looked wide awake – and apart from his boots … dressed. Rats. Of course he'd wake up before her. Of course he would. But her attention was torn was from him when music threaded the air – a melody that was familiar to them. And since it was whole –

They exchanged glances, and she saw him sigh. Showtime. Reaching out, she squeezed his hand, and let it go, throwing the covers back in the same movement. Lorule had guests, and with all the growth the kingdom had been through in the past few years, it would be best if one of them went to greet them. Ergo, since she had matters to attend to passing on the documents for the next Council, it would be him.

She wished him well with it.

* * *

 **And since things are just starting to get interesting, I'll leave it until next time. Please, review and tell me what you think!** **Speaking of 'next time', though: we get to catch up with Link and Zelda. Which, if past records are any indication, will prove interesting. Those Hyruleans, I don't know. Always bringing some form of mischief along with them. ...Which in this case is four of the Six Sages: Irene being just one. A witch in Lorule. Hmm...**

 **Whatever could happen, I wonder?**


	42. Part 3: Chapter 4

Link studied the castle's battlements with a critical eye, gaze sharp and assessing. The watchtowers at the corners of the grounds were new, and judging by the wary expression of the guards posted along the walls, something had happened recently. Fingers tightened around the grips of weapons as he met the stare of several, and he nodded thoughtfully. Yeah, definitely. Possibly within the last few days, or the last day. Brow furrowing in annoyance and slight anger on their counterparts' behalf, he sighed.

A soft touch on his arm pulled him away from his thoughts, and he lifted a brow, attention snapping to the royal at his side. To the glimmer of a chain glinting against pale skin – half-hidden by her winter clothing – and the single earring hanging from her ear, deep blue sapphire and crystalline, brilliant, diamond. To anyone else, it was just new jewellery, but it was a lot more than that to him. Oh yes.

He'd given them to her, after all. Weeks ago, under the public guise of a Winter Solstice gift.

Before he could say anything, however, a gasp behind them had him turning to face their companions: Seres, Osfala, Rosso, Gulley … and Irene. It was the young witch who'd cried out, hands going to her head. Her broom sank lower, closer to the ground, and his eyes widened as she swayed dangerously to one side. That wasn't good – come to think of it, Osfala wasn't looking well either. He felt fine, though. So, whatever it was that was playing havoc with their magic, he couldn't say. He couldn't feel it. Hmm.

"Gulley, steady her," he ordered, lips turning down at the corners. "If she falls and injuries herself, there's no guarantee that she'll make it all the way through this trip. And you know as well as I do – perhaps better – how much she was looking forward to a visit here. Rosso, if she does fall, catch her."

"As efficient as ever, General," Cerulean eyes glittered at the tease. "All that work paid off, I see?"

He grinned, and would have said something in reply to his Queen's jest – now so much more than just his ruler and love – if not for Irene toppling from her broom. It clattered to the surface of the bridge, and the young witch herself fell into Rosso's arms. Her fellow Sage set her on her feet, and behind them, someone cleared their throat sheepishly as they approached, footsteps echoing against the worn stone.

So, once again, he turned, and met the newcomer face to face. Their hood hid their eyes, flowing down into a cloak that brushed their ankles, the black fabric was soft and aged, if undeniably well-cared for. Fine clothes, so most likely a noble, but no noble he knew would ever have the muscle of a warrior. His lean build belied his strength, and Link immediately knew he'd be stupid to tangle with this guy in a fight. A scholar, judging by the ink stains on his fingers, the calluses telling of a dedicated man.

Hardworking. And embarrassed. Very embarrassed.

"Sorry about that," A nervous chuckle. "I completely forgot to mention the effect my magic has in my last letter, especially since I'm not usually so scatterbrained. But then, there's a festival to finish planning in the next two weeks, and when you're basically running the kingdom alongside the Queen, you've got a lot on your plate, so I think a few mistakes here and there can be forgiven, don't you?"

He laughed. "Well, Ravio Narbitt, considering your track record? I don't think she'd mind."

His counterpart shoved his hood back and grinned, green eyes alight in the dusk. "No, you're probably right about that one, Mr. Hero." A wink. "But before we head into the castle … I need to check if Irene is okay. No-one's had such a violent reaction before – if you don't count the dignitaries from Cassida who threw up when I met them on the bridge here. Not the best of greetings ever, I know. One of the worst."

Irene groaned, rubbing her temples. "I'm fine," she snapped, scowling. "But if you knew, some warning would have been appreciated. I'm a witch, Cucco-brain, and that means I'm sensitive to magic. Magic like yours? Din above, I feel like I got shocked by a hundred Buzz Blobs all at once. You sure don't throw wait around to throw punches, do you? You could level a desert with that kind of power if you wanted."

A shadow darted through Ravio's eyes, and Link gulped, suspecting he knew where his counterpart's thoughts were taking him. But to his surprise, he merely nodded and gestured back towards the castle, lips twitching at the corners. The meaning was clear, but as for Link himself, he was just confused. Following his friend, he couldn't help his slight frown. Something wasn't quite right. That … incident had hurt him, and it hurt him a lot. And though it had been a few years, he still knew his friend. So, what –

"Link, are you coming or what? I thought standing around staring at minute details was my thing!"

Startled, he jerked out his thoughts, and quickly slipped in through the massive, iron-wrought door Ravio had been holding open, amusement written plain on his face. Chuckling at the playful elbow to the ribs Gulley gave him, he gave his companions a smile and fiddled with the strap of his adventurer's pouch, needing something to do with his hands. He was used to planning, thinking, and acting. Waiting? Not so much. Oh, he could be patient, of course he could, but he wasn't very good at it. Watching was different. He'd been a blacksmith's apprentice, a knight, and finally, General-Tactician to the Queen.

So, he watched. And he learned. Watched the flow of people around them stop and greet his counterpart, the varying degrees of respect they showed him. The mask that fallen into place over Ravio's face, guarded but warm. The tiny flickers of emotion that got caught in his eyes each time they passed another member of the castle staff. He'd said 'caught', because each time, it vanished as soon it appeared. Almost, that is. But he wasn't careful enough, because Link knew something was wrong. And he knew he'd have to talk to him after the formalities were over – whatever it was, it bothered him.

When they reached the throne room, he saw his counterpart's shoulders slump as he laid a hand on the doors. It was brief, but it was there, as was the sigh. Then the doors were thrown open, and they all followed Ravio inside. His eyes traveled, up, up, up and he whistled despite himself. This was some fancy stuff, even in just one room. Lorule hadn't just grown in the last few years, it had flourished. Colour him impressed. Murmurs erupted behind him, and he smirked as Seres gently closed Osfala's jaw for him, the older man's eyes huge with wonder and surprise. He hadn't expected anything like this.

And Link didn't blame him.

"Impressive, isn't it, General Lindak?" Hilda's voice was warm with amusement. "I can safely say the appreciations for all of artwork in my throne room rests squarely on my Advisor's shoulders: he was the one who organised the production and ironed out the designs with the help of a team of various mages and smiths. And there's not a painting in sight, thank goodness. It's designed that way, mostly to draw attention away from the sorts of reactions we draw in the presence of magically gifted individuals. It's somewhat unfortunate, especially when you're attempting to organise meetings and other deals with visiting dignitaries, and then they're sick all over the carpeting, but you get used to it quickly, trust me."

Ravio rolled his eyes as he relaxed against a pillar close to the dais. "And it's not like I can just leave the room either. Oh, heavy workload or not, I can't. Prosperous or not, healing or otherwise, there's always monsters in Lorule. Regardless of they look like monsters or not, you know they're there. Take this morning for example. I'd rather not talk about that, please. …And then there are those who like causing trouble for everyone in the castle. Last night was a prime example of that, wasn't it, Your Majesty?"

Crimson eyes flashed dangerously as she glared at him, cheeks heated. "Sit down, Advisor Narbitt. I do not care if we find ourselves in the company of familiar faces and people, your mockery is unappreciated. On the steps of the dais, if you please – on any other day your comments might have gone unanswered, but today is not that day. Please don't try my patience, not right now. That's all I ask of you this moment, and once the formalities are over, then and only then may we lower our guard."

He did as he was ordered, sighing and running his fingers through his hair as he stared at his boots. Link hummed thoughtfully as his gaze darted between the two, and he blinked as bits and pieces started to fall into place. Ravio's behaviour around the castle staff, Hilda's reaction to what he said; mentions of something earlier in the day and the night before … yeah, it was starting to make sense alright. Stress.

And lots of it. Something which Ravio's next comment didn't help. At all.

"…I'm not the one who drank an entire skin of wine. And it was mulled wine, too."

"Ravio, _please_." The words were just shy of a growl. "I just want to get through these _Din-accursed_ formalities, friends or not, so we can relax and actually be people instead of figureheads all the damned time. I know Link and Zelda don't give a rat's arse right now about protocol, or anything like that, but this is not for them – rather, the company they brought with them, and the apology I owe to the Sages of Hyrule for what happened five years ago. Now kindly shut your mouth, before I lose my temper."

"Apology accepted," Irene said crisply. "I believe I speak for all of us when I say, in the end, there were no hard feelings. In relation to the situation your kingdom was in, Your Majesty, desperation was warranted. People in desperate situations do desperate things, often with thought or care for anyone involved. But it turned out alright, so if it's five years past, it's five years past. Done 'n' dusted; like that."

Beside him, his Queen smirked. "Now that's over, Hilda … what's this about mulled wine?"

The Loruleans traded looks and sighed. Link rolled his eyes, draping an arm around his Queen's shoulders, before grinning at them. They so obviously needed a break, and more than a few hours. A whole day or two would do them a world of good – surely someone else could be delegated to care of their duties for a while? But he put the thought aside to bring up later, turning his attention to the pair in front of them, Hilda shifting on her throne and toying her gloves; and Ravio sitting on the stairs.

"Long day?" he asked sympathetically. "You two look dead on your feet."

"Long day," Hilda agreed, rubbing her temples. "I woke up with the remains of a hangover - Ravio, don't laugh, it's rude; just because you can't drink the damn stuff without being violently ill and emptying your guts doesn't mean you get laugh at me when I do drink it – there was a ruckus during breakfast … several, come to think of it … and the pandemonium that resulted in Ravio leaving scorch marks on battlements while the on-duty guards cowered in the watchtower. And several Loruleans dead, awaiting funerals, while the instigator sits the castle dungeons. Sentenced to maintaining the Tower of Terror and keeping the monsters inside ready for the next batch of guards. Poor, poor, foolish woman."

Ravio's laugh was bitter; dark. "Add that on top of the fact that two of the dead are _children_ , and I'm about ready to go down there and do some damage. But after what happened the first time … I know better. And while some of us-" He levelled a pointed look at the royal sitting on her throne, "-merely had a long day, I get to add a long night to that list. All because some idiot snuck a wineskin into the castle. Full of mulled wine, that a certain Royal stumbled across and drank. I wish you'd passed out. But no~"

"I was exhausted!" she protested hotly, clutching her staff tightly. "And I had a headache!"

"And wine of all things would help with a headache? Milady, you're not serious. It just made your headache worse – and tipped the scale to the other side. Fifty fifty, remember, my queen?" His tone was teasing, and a dark brow lifted as he relaxed. "I'm the one who kept watch over you … you don't trust anyone else, and despite the major improvements to the guard – they're still not up to the standard required for protecting royalty. The people? It's passable. I'll have a word with the Captain about it."

Link sniggered at the look of defeat on Hilda's face. She knew she was beaten, and it was a well-known fact between Lorule's allies that should something happen to her Advisor, she would struggle. Oh, she'd still rule, and she'd do it well, but alongside Ravio … she did so brilliantly. They were a team more than he and Zelda ever were. Ravio was the go-between for both Queen and people – they trusted him; and he fitted in with an ease that was breath-taking. He had an insider's perspective of life down in Thieves' Town, life as someone struggling to get by. Life as an ordinary individual in a dying world. She didn't.

He was her Consort in all but name and title, and everyone knew it. The rumours, he suspected, got to them - and if Ravio's behaviour was any indication - the respect too. Hilda was used to it in the same way Zelda was, after all. They were both born into royalty. Ravio had not been. He hadn't been. And that wasn't a bad thing. He was no expert, but he'd seen what Lorule had been like before Yuga set things in motion, causing the two kingdoms to collide; and he'd seen it as it healed. Sure, it wasn't completely healed, from what some of his counterpart's letters had said, and he knew it was going to take decades to get to a truly healthy state, like what Hyrule was in. Prosperous, without frequent natural disasters.

Like avalanches.

"At a decent hour," the Lorulean Queen replied tiredly. "Tomorrow, and no sooner."

Green eyes flashed with something that resembled triumph, and he rose, stretching as he did so. It was lazy, relaxed, and perhaps a bit smug, because Link saw Hilda's eyes narrow the tiniest margin. Then his counterpart moved so swiftly and fluidly that he heard Seres gasp, descending the remaining steps with the sort of grace normally reserved for royalty. Link was perhaps the tiniest bit envious, but he wouldn't admit it. A thin tendril of light wrapped around the glittering flower tucked behind Hilda's ear, pulling it with ease, and it landed in Ravio's hand as he stopped, turning to face the dais. When he spoke, he was calm and collected, but having known his counterpart for as long as he had, Link could detect the low undertones - mischief, delight - and there was no doubt a pleased expression on his face. Or maybe not.

"As you wish, Your Majesty. I'd probably end up with a boulder thrown at me if I went into town now, anyway. Liya has either told her husband, or she hasn't out of pure embarrassment, but I don't want to take that risk. Yes, she left herself wide open for a retort, but it was inappropriate of me to bring it up, especially as considering it was, ahem, private. Requiring what it did. A silencing ward, and a barricade." The tips of his friend's ears were turning pink, and he coughed nervously, rubbing his neck. "Um, yeah … I may have gone back to that storage room after they'd left and burned the interior. Just in case."

It clicked, then, just what Ravio was implying, had happened between the married couple … in the castle, no less … and Link felt his face burn. Yeah, inappropriate to bring up in a public setting, alright. The sort of thing you'd pull one of said two aside and quietly broach in a private conversation kind of thing. Not shove it out in public, not matter how little people were in the room. His gaze dropped to the chain around his Queen's neck, and he quickly tore it away, fixing his eyes on the carpet instead. No, no, thinking about what he'd one day be allowed to do was … No. No, his Queen was bad enough. No.

"Ravio, enough," Hilda's voice was rife with amusement. "You're making Link squirm something fierce."

"Oh. My apologies," A sigh left his friend's lungs. "But, yes, I'll talk to the Captain of the Guard in the morning. I promise, my queen. And seeing as I can trust all in the Throne Room to not cause utter disaster while I'm gone - Gulley, Irene, I'm lookin' at you here – I'm off to arrange sleeping quarters for the guests. It is late, after all, and they'll need somewhere to sleep during the fortnight they're here. Also, I'll plan for a slightly larger feast than usual for the evening's meal; the kitchen staff will be warned, I assure you. Especially with the General and Sage Rosso in temporary residence. No offense meant."

"Say, Advisor? What happened the first time you went down to the dungeons and caused 'damage'?"

Gulley's question made his friend freeze as he stepped out the door, and Link caught a glimpse of dull eyes as Ravio shook his head, running one hand through his hair. It wasn't the kind of question he'd thought anyone would ask, so he didn't dismiss the pain and guilt in his eyes. Far, far from it. He knew that the incident would haunt Ravio for as long as he lived - as far as he knew, Vilen had been his counterpart's first true kill – if you call it that, which he didn't dare. And Ravio, despite everything, hadn't had the mental preparation for the effects of it. On top of all the other nonsense he dealt with.

His voice was quiet. "…I blew a man up. They had to clean him off the walls of his cell."

"Oh."

Oh. Yes. After all, what could you say to that?

* * *

 **Poor Link. Nothing more needs to be said except that. XD Oh, this is going to be fun for all involved. So much with that ...  
**

 **See you next time!  
**


	43. Part 3: Chapter 5

Dinner was going to be a lively affair. Zelda could tell as much from the minute she walked into the banquet hall, relieved to be out of her heavy winter coat. It would only be the nine of them eating tonight, seven Hyruleans and two Loruleans; five Sages, an Advisor, a Tactician-General and two Queens. …And it was bound to be interesting. Especially when she stopped to consider the company she was in. And what some of said company were wearing. It provided a fascinating contrast – Hilda in silver and her in blue. It had been proved in the past that her counterpart looked stunning in the colour, and she did. She'd changed before dinner, clearly, but no-one minded … and no-one seemed to care when Ravio and Link walked into the hall, talking animatedly. They truly could be brothers, but that wasn't what stopped her short. It was what they were wearing. Blue looked better on Link than green and Ravio …

The less said about him the better. The fireball that floated between them turned Link's hair to gold, and Ravio's eyes brilliant shades of green so _alive_ that her heart ached at his happiness. He deserved it. Because he _was_ happy, and one glance in Hilda's direction, where her counterpart stood with her hands braced on the back of her chair, and the soft smile that graced her face told her everything. They'd needed this break - their friends had needed Hyrulean company. The company of people who'd been there, seen the last five years written in blood, sweat, and paint. The cracks that had fissured and healed over, no longer tearing the land apart. Gaps between worlds no longer bordered by brightly coloured 'stones' … and Yuga's cruel artworks. The pain. The betrayal. The courage and empathy displayed then.

Zelda placed her hands in her lap to prevent herself from playing with the pendant at her throat, and as she looked at the seating arrangements, she realised that Hilda hadn't seated herself at the head of the table. In fact, Zelda was seated opposite her counterpart; and their respective Bearers of Courage were beside them. The Sages were seated also, and she smothered a giggle at Osfala's expression. The nobleman would end up situated between Link and Rosso, and he appeared to be supremely uncomfortable with the idea. Irene, as it happened, was opposite Osfala; with Gulley and Seres next to her. She'd been surprised to find out that Rosso was attending the meal, but when she'd pulled the Sage of Fire aside, he merely grinned and shrugged. He was there for the conversation, he'd informed her.

Which was fine. It made sense, anyway. The hand on her shoulder made her look up, and she sighed as she met Link's gaze, cool but full of life. Like the rivers back home. A pulse of energy shot through her as his fingers tucked a strand of hair behind her, knocking against her earring, which sent a soft, musical chime into the air. Opposite her, Hilda's ears twitched in her peripheral vision, but she paid it no mind as her General sat, fingers twining with hers in a brief show of affection. Public displays, despite both their standing within their kingdom and others, were not their forte. They were private people; much like she suspected their counterparts to be. Which made sense. Two of them were royalty. And because of that, public displays of emotion were 'dangerous', so to speak. Private ones? Not so much. Rules be damned.

But if Link was summer when it came to his outfit, then Ravio was winter. He was dressed in a silver tunic - silver, a near-perfect match to Hilda's gown in colour - and dark grey pants; black leather boots on his feet. The cloak he'd worn earlier that evening was absent, but the flower he'd removed was not. Light reflected off it, bouncing around the room, and Zelda blinked in surprise as he settled it in her counterpart's hair so that it rested once more behind her ear. The action, clearly, was something he'd done many times - but the kiss he pressed to his Queen's knuckles, judging by Hilda's face, was not.

It was perfectly polite, but completely unexpected. And utterly brilliant. A subtle declaration of their courtship, but nothing overt and in-your-face. As was the choice in colour, which was close, but not enough to make anything more than a coincidence. Clever – and very Lorulean of them. Once everyone was seated, the meal was served. For a moment, all was silent apart from the requests to pass food up and down the table - and Osfala scolding Gulley over 'proper etiquette'. Ravio's eyes glittered with mirth, and he laughed, cutting through the chatter as he turned his gaze further down the table. Though it was not at all unkind, Zelda caught Osfala squirming in his seat as he found himself the target. Hah.

"Leave him be, Sage Osfala," he chided gently, lips twitching. "It's not easy learning how to eat in a such setting; and I myself know this only from experience. Oh, I'm not barbaric; the words commoner and peasantry will never apply here in Lorule – despite this, however, I've had more than sufficient practice when it comes to dining with nobility. A decade's worth, almost a decade and a half now. I was nearly nine when I became a ward of the Crown. And learning what crockery item to use for what dish? Hard."

Her counterpart chuckled. "Isn't that the truth – I can still remember several of the disasters."

"If you're referring to the time that you broke into the castle kitchens late at night and found your parents in the middle of a chess game using cheese cubes as pieces, I disagree," Ravio quipped, taking a sip of his drink. "Personally, I still find that memory rather funny, even if you don't always feel the same. It meant, to me, that King Jaleel and Queen Ophelia were people too – they weren't royalty all the time. They could be your parents, instead of just your rulers. Even though I wonder about the process behind some of their … more famous decisions, it's not like I can ask them, now is it? No, it isn't that simple."

Zelda hummed thoughtfully. "Your father's name, Hilda … I don't recall hearing anything like it. Except during the introductions to the Maudiean King. It wouldn't happen Maudiean in origin, would it? Granted, it would explain your colouring if you have a drop or two of Maudiean blood in your veins. In comparison to most Loruleans, new adopted to the kingdom or otherwise, you're rather a stand out."

Crimson eyes glittered. "I'll take the compliment, Zelda. Thank you. In answer to your question, yes, it is Maudiean in origin. My grandfather was the head librarian at the Oasis and a minor noble in King Aenon's Court - the Maudiean people are quite proud of the knowledge they've amassed in the caverns below the sands; which is only equaled by their silk and the prowess of their Kings; who provide water to the lands to the south of the Lorulean border. An attempt to overthrow the Kings of Maudiea-"

 _Would mean disaster to the desert peoples._ Heads turned as Agatha walked into the room, rubbing her temples. _Now, forgive me, but I had not a choice in the matters of interrupting such a fascinating conversation – and with curious company, too. Alas, Vion's busy somewhere; I wouldn't trust Lorelai Narbitt with anything remotely important because she'd simply turn it into a game of irking her only child until he snaps. My apologies, Ravio, but your mother is a walking basket case. I cannot ask Ophelia for similar reasons, only for her daughter's sake … and my parents, dear as they are, are bickering to the reaches of the highest skies and back. Goddess, it's any wonder they can't be heard tonight. Bleh …._

"You're a ghost," Irene stated matter-of-factly. "But not a Poe or any other spirit. What are you?"

"Irene!" Zelda hissed, embarrassed. "She might be a 'ghost', as you put it, but don't be rude!"

 _Little Hyrela, be at ease,_ Agatha soothed with a grin. _Witchlings will be as witchlings are. She meant no harm by it – it was mere curiosity and her heritage at work. And in answer to your question, witchling Sage, it is both a query of what … and who I am that is of importance. I am a Shade – the recollection of a person's memories and regrets, that, should they prove strong enough, leave a lasting impression on the physical and spiritual worlds, such as your Sacred Realm. To speak plainly, it is a form of half-life. We can still feel, hear and see things to some extent, and can still interact with the physical realm somewhat; but we're still very much dead, and apart from the newcomers, have been so for centuries._

"Nine, you said, if I recall, Your Majesty," Ravio mused, toying with his goblet. "What is it now – nine and a quarter? Nine and a half? It came up in a conversation once, when we were discussing the changes in royal courtly traditions. The standards and such a member of the royal family had to fulfill. Both in public and in private, I believe. Though we didn't discuss the latter much. Can't imagine why. Funny that. …Anyway, what brings you out of hiding? I know time passes differently for the Shades of the family."

The Shade laughed, eyes flashing with mischief. _Indeed, it does. But funnily enough, witch work and something that relates to the latter part of that conversation we once had about royal duties. The ones where privacy is a requirement. You know what I mean, I'm sure._ Vibrant eyes fixed on her, and Zelda swallowed hard. _Interestingly, the owners and the craftswoman are all Hylians. My father was so excited at the prospect of meeting a witch again – and gaining access to the lost treasures he'd hidden. Treasure which included Mother's flute. …She may or may not have slapped him when she found that out. Oops._

Link tipped his head to one side, frowning beside her. "Begging your pardon, Queen Agatha, but aren't we all Hylians? Just separated by nation? Or world, if you'll allow it? It doesn't make sense to discern some of us as Hylian – most of us, I'd imagine - and the others as not. Sure, they're Loruleans, but that doesn't mean they're not Hylians. Unless I'm mistaken – it happens, I tell you. Forgive my curiousity."

Discomfort was clear on the Shade's face, and she blew a lock of hair out of her eyes in exasperation and annoyance. _It's complicated, General. I forcibly made the distinction between the capital of Skyloft and Lorea; as well as their peoples when I closed the bridge between the two worlds. I had to. And it might have been close to nine and quarter centuries since I died, but it still hurts. To call my people, my children, Hylians … it would be a disrespect to those who truly were. Like I said, complicated. And there's a different reason for my parents as well, but it's best if they explain that themselves. It's not my place._

Conversation, and the meal, resumed. Agatha stayed, watching and listening with a distant smile, her eyes flitting from face to face. Zelda half-listened to the conversation, but her mind was preoccupied but what the Queen's Shade had revealed. The Shade who was idly fiddling with her circlet, fingers tracing patterns over the fine metal, before she set it on her brow again. A hand drifted to her throat, to brush the iridescent gem there, but she pulled it away. It was a curious habit for anyone, let alone a Shade.

A tap against her ankle drew her from her thoughts, and she shot Link a glare. "What?" she snapped.

"You were off with the fairies," he replied evenly, smiling a little. "And with such interesting conversation going on around you, that's quite unusual. I haven't seen you like this since Impa got sick two years ago and the entire castle staff freaked out. Of course, she's fine now, but not even Sheikah live forever. What is she? Eighty? She's probably got another twenty, twenty-five, years left. There was talk in Kakariko before we left Hyrule about the possibility of her picking up an apprentice to take over from her after she retires. Give her ten years and then we'll see how well her chosen apprentice fares."

She smirked, taking a sip of her wine. "Yes, yes, of course, dear General. Forgive me, I was merely thinking - completely irrespective of whether you think it's bad for me - but I suppose the biggest challenge for the apprentice our beloved Impa chooses would be putting up with you. Why, oh, why you consistently choose to harass your own company of elite guards, I will never know. And if you say it's-"

"What? Fun?" He was grinning now, and she saw Ravio roll his eyes. "C'mon, Zel, you know me better than that, don't you? Sure, I'm not going to lie: it is fun. A lot of fun. But there's a point to it, no matter how … unconventional it might seem to you. They're elite guards - your own personal detail, I might add - for a reason. They're the best, and you can't continue to hold that title if you're not tested constantly. Why do you think the Captain relinquished command of them to me? I use the dungeons back home as training grounds. As well as leading them on elaborate chases throughout the castle and through the underground of the Sanctuary – I'd use Rosso's mines too, but I don't want them to catch their deaths."

 _Why? A little lava never hurt anyone._

Her eyes immediately darted over to Agatha, Link and the rest of the Sages following her gaze, but the Queen's Shade merely shook her head. But Ravio's lips were twitching, and beside him, Hilda had busied herself with her goblet, her eyes glittering with barely restrained mischief. And come to think of it, though she knew Ravio hadn't said a word, the voice was masculine, and irritatingly close to his. It had a similar cadence to it. Deeper, though and peppered with amusement. Her brow furrowed in confusion.

There was no noise, no indication that they were there; they just were. Zelda gaped, shocked, and she saw Irene point in the direction of the newcomers. Across from her, she saw Ravio blink, his eyes darting to and from them to the two Shades, but that was all the surprise he let show. Hilda, on the other hand, dropped her goblet, the liquid sloshing. Agatha smirked, amusement playing across her features as she made the connection, and she turned with a resigned sigh. To the Shades who looked an awful lot like Ravio and Hilda, if they'd both been about fifteen years older and Hilda had lighter hair. Disturbing.

 _So, I take it you two have finally finished bickering, Mother; Father? Because I've been dying to know how on Farore's green earth you managed to lock such a large collection of treasure away without an enchanted lock or pass way and then forget about it._ The sarcasm in the younger Shade's voice could be cut with a knife. _A treasure hoard - for what else can you call it? - that included Vion's blueprints for the lantern beneath the town and Mother's flute? Not to mention numerous other vital items? …Father?_

The Shade in question was wincing, rubbing his cheek. But judging by his wife's glare, that wasn't the only thing worth wincing about. The look she gave him, if it could, would have killed. Oh, Three help her, this had suddenly got a whole lot more interesting than it previously had. Beside her, Link was smirking, and everyone else was listening, rapt. Captivated by the scene unfolding in front of them. She didn't blame them. No, she didn't. This had made a potentially lively dinner even livelier, and she could use the entertainment. Cruel as it was to say when it was at someone else's expense, irrespective of state of life.

 _I… I was trying to do the right thing!_ he protested hotly. _I didn't want any of it to be lost, and with the Civil War, the destruction of the Triforce and now everything that has happen in the last two decades? I'm pretty sure I made the right decision. There's old manuscripts and all sorts of things in that room, from spell books and trading logs to works of fiction. Pages and pages of sketches. Stills, audio-visual recordings … and a handful of treasures from Skyloft. The old ones, the kind that are … y'know._

 _Treasured? Gifted to us? Aviol Narbitt, if you're talking about what I think you're talking about, I'm going to do a lot more than just slap you. And don't you 'Hilda' me, either mister, it won't get you anywhere. You neglect to tell me, for hundreds of years, that you've stored my flute – and other precious artefacts – in a vault you can't access without a witch's help and this? Well, this takes the cake._ Her voice was icy.

Ravio cleared his throat. "With all due respect, Lady Lorealu, he did it for a good reason. I'm pretty sure making 'silly' decisions at critical points in life just runs the family. I certainly haven't escaped it. And if you were to be honest with yourself, what would you prefer? To have it 'lost' and able to be accessed? Or to be lost for good? If it were me, I know what I'd pick. But that's just me. I can't read your mind."

The Shade's mouth opened and closed several times as she tried to speak, blinking rapidly. She couldn't come up with an answer, and her fellow Shades weren't the only ones who found that funny. Across from her, Hilda had her hands over her mouth, shoulders shaking as she tried to hide her laughter. Tried to, of course, because it was obvious. Aviol's green eyes were awash with glee, and he wrapped an arm around his wife's waist, chuckling as he leaned in to whisper something in her ear, causing her to blush.

And slam an elbow into his ribs. There were sympathetic groans all around at that. Ouch.

 _Ow…_ he complained, clutching his side. _…Hilda, you know I wouldn't do that to them! C'mon, dearest; we faced enough problems with painters and Hylians causing mischief - what in all the realms makes you think I would side with Lorelai, of all people? They don't need any of us interfering or 'helping' them: Lorelai Narbitt least of all. Besides, we're going to be busy ourselves – we have guests, and we haven't had guests since … well, before we died. And I have every intention of challenging Ucheriah to a drinking contest. Don't look at me like that – it wasn't my idea. Lincoln suggested it; he wants Vion to pass out._

She glared at him, muttering something about how the younger Shade wouldn't be the only one passing out, but Zelda was quick to block it out, her thoughts busy. The pieces were starting to fall into place, and they made unfortunate sense to her. The writings of both Aviol Narbitt and Hilda Lorealu pointed to the bridge, the link, between Hyrule and Lorule being much older than they'd originally thought –

With Queen Agatha's confirmation of this; her admittance to having to close it. Add in Irene's presence -And it all came together. Irene was a witch, and the few historic documents about witches that remained in Hyrule always said that they hailed from the tribe of the Gerudo Desert. The very same desert where one of the fabled Time's Sages was said to come from. The sixth, the Sage of Spirit. Spirit.

The Shades were spirits. She looked up, opening her mouth to say something, and found herself pinned in place by green eyes. Aviol and Agatha were both watching her, and it was a little confronting, if she were honest. Agatha turned her attention away, but Aviol didn't. He was studying her, she realized, and it made her just a tad bit nervous. The Shades were hundreds of years old; and had no doubt seen many things that they could never forget, although they were living in a temporary state of suspended life. That included the rise and fall of prominent leaders; notable deaths, inventions, births … and marriages.

It was the last that made her the most anxious. The thought of what he knew.

She swallowed. "Um, I might have this wrong, but I think I know why we, as Hylians can see you two, when we couldn't before. First, Irene. She's a witch, is she not? A … 'witchling Sage', as Agatha put it, yes? And witches, from what I understand of Hyrule's history, were most prominent in the Gerudo Desert. Where the sixth of Time's Sages, the Sage of Spirit, hailed from. Where the fallen Hero battled two witch twins: witch twins who used their polar magic to form Twinrova, the dual witch of the sands."

She had their attention now, and she wished she didn't. "The second reason, I think, involves the numerous visits Link and I have both had to Lorule prior to arranging the current one. I think it worked like a beacon, making it easy for the Hylian Shades to pinpoint the weak points in Agatha's barrier, thanks to Link's - very Lorulean - magic. Also, Yuga, but I'm not going there. So, they just tagged along."

 _That makes sense. It would be quite typical of them to hitch a ride somewhere for the thrill of things,_ Aviol mused thoughtfully. His eyes narrowed. _But talking of witches and witch history, I haven't seen a witch-charmed pendant of any sort for hundreds of years – seven, if my memory's right. It's a very old tradition, token-gifting. Dates to the days of Skyloft, where courtship involved Loftwing feathers and other treasures of the sky, before the return to the surface and of the Demon King Demise. Hmm…_

She froze as he moved forward, rounding the table. His wife followed, her eyes alight with curiousity. Somewhat relieved that she'd tied her hair up, she flinched slightly as Link caught a stray lock of hair, tucking it behind her ear. The faint chime echoed in the air again, and she caught the look the two Shades shared, her heart sinking. They knew; and so would the rest of their companions soon enough.

 _Well, well, well; this is interesting~ Somebody's not messing around, is he? …Sapphires, diamonds; an alloy wire with an integrated strength charm, preservation charms of several different kinds: general wear and tear, extreme temperatures … A glow charm with a warmth pattern to provide light. The same can being said of the pendant around your neck, Your Majesty. They both have location charms embedded in them should you lose them, by the way – Wait, hold up. A silencing charm? Damn._

Zelda flushed. Beside her, Link had his head buried in his hands, but judging by the colour of his ears, he certainly hadn't asked for any such thing. Sure, they had a reputation, but it wasn't that bad, was it? Irene was snickering, and judging by the scandalized, or in some cases, thoughtful expressions the other Sages were wearing, they were all wishing they'd never heard that. She wanted to die. Kill her now.

Aviol stepped back. _I don't want to know why, but it just leaves one question. …When's the wedding?_

Hilda choked on her punch.

* * *

 ***smirks* I bet no-one saw that coming, hmm~? So, yup, that happened. XD Link and Zelda are engaged, yes~ And if you look back over the last chapter, there's little hints scattered throughout it. Little hints that could be passed up as something else, but in this context they suddenly make sense, don't they? It explains why Link got so flustered. And as for the details on the 'guest' Shades and the treasure vault, well, you'll have to wait and see. It gets very interesting very fast, that. Irene's not done playing her part yet, they still have to locate and unlock the vault - and that's not all there is. Nooo~**

 **See you next time!**


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